1
as in to bankrupt
to cause to lose one's fortune and become unable to pay one's debts
after he was ruined by the Great Chicago Fire of 1871, the industrialist was forced to sell his mansion and start all over again
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to destroy
to bring destruction to (something) through violent action
tornadoes ruined a wide swath of the county
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to devastate
to bring to a complete end the physical soundness, existence, or usefulness of
a huge fire that ruined an entire city block
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in destruction
the state or fact of being rendered nonexistent, physically unsound, or useless
a vicious bombardment that left the building in ruins
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in wreck
ruins plural
the portion or bits of something left over or behind after it has been destroyed
the ruins of an abandoned abbey
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in bankruptcy
the inability to pay one's debts
the family faces ruin if the chief breadwinner doesn't find another job very soon
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4
as in downfall
something that is the cause of one's ultimate failure or loss of life
the politician's eventual ruin would be a sexual indiscretion
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of ruin
Alyssa Grabinski, PEOPLE, 24 Apr. 2026
This wouldn’t be the first time protesters have ruined a Bezos event.
—Matt Donnelly, Variety, 23 Apr. 2026
Sam Metz, Chicago Tribune, 25 Apr. 2026
Much of the international press and public opinion has only now taken notice of Cuba and found a country in ruins.
—Carlos Manuel Alvarez, Time, 24 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for ruin
Verb
Trust me, nothing ruins your day more than a painful sunburn or seeing your beautiful landscape suddenly become overrun by weeds.
—Alyssa Grabinski, PEOPLE, 24 Apr. 2026
This wouldn’t be the first time protesters have ruined a Bezos event.
—Matt Donnelly, Variety, 23 Apr. 2026
Noun
That has left the vast majority of Gaza’s more than 2 million people confined to sprawling tent camps or the ruins of their homes, with no end in sight to their suffering.
—Sam Metz, Chicago Tribune, 25 Apr. 2026
Much of the international press and public opinion has only now taken notice of Cuba and found a country in ruins.
—Carlos Manuel Alvarez, Time, 24 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for ruin
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ruin
Verb
-
Among its many distinctions, SPLC is known for bankrupting the Ku Klux Klan.—
Clarence Page,
Chicago Tribune,
27 Apr. 2026
-
Over the ensuing decades, with its litigation prowess and ample funds from supporters committed to advancing equality, the SPLC went on to bankrupt numerous notorious white supremacist organizations, including the United Klans of America and the Aryan Nations.—
Mia Cathell,
The Washington Examiner,
25 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Thankfully, the Dark Sky movement is growing as more people become aware of the issue and learn about simple and cost-effective ways that can be embraced to reverse the course of destroying our night skies.—
Ernie Cowan,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
26 Apr. 2026
-
Radioactive clouds spread, causing panic as far away as Germany and Britain; millions of litres of milk were dumped; livestock was destroyed or banned from sale.—
The Week UK,
TheWeek,
26 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Experts feared that Asian economies — which imported 90% of the oil traversing through the Strait of Hormuz before the war — could be devastated by a prolonged disruption to Gulf crude production.—
Andrew Edgecliffe-Johnson,
semafor.com,
30 Apr. 2026
-
Other school committee members like Keegan are devastated by the current state of the budget.—
Kristina Rex,
CBS News,
30 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
One chapter closes, another opens The destruction of several Russian Kamov Ka-52s using drones doesn’t signal the end of the attack helicopter by any means.—
Christopher McFadden,
Interesting Engineering,
27 Apr. 2026
-
The pace of destruction was terrifying.—
Stefano Pozzebon,
CNN Money,
26 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Locating the wreck connects us to their sacrifice and reminds us that devotion to duty endures.—
Alexandra Koch,
FOXNews.com,
29 Apr. 2026
-
The wreck happened on the outbound Eisenhower (I-290) at Wolf Road in Hillside.—
Kris Habermehl,
CBS News,
27 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Bed Bath & Beyond closed its 360 brick-and-mortar locations in 2023 after filing for bankruptcy.—
Samantha Gowen,
Oc Register,
24 Apr. 2026
-
He was accused of embezzling client funds for his own personal spending; he was sued by his former law firm partners; and his law firm was facing bankruptcy.—
Brianne Tracy,
PEOPLE,
24 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Now, 34 years later and a registered nurse, the downfall of the hospital is heartbreaking for her.—
Cam'ron Hardy,
Chicago Tribune,
28 Apr. 2026
-
The manic, madcap, chaotic and silly stunt show was heavy on exposition to the delight of the fans who cheered the entrance of every One Piece character and laughed at the downfall of paper-thin goon.—
Brady MacDonald,
Oc Register,
24 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
An offense built on length has been ravaged by injuries and some sort of affliction that has the Mets regularly hitting the ball into the ground instead of in the air.—
Abbey Mastracco,
New York Daily News,
29 Apr. 2026
-
National income per person had fallen from about $8,000 in 2012 to $5,000 in 2024, ravaged by inflation, corruption and sanctions.—
Tim Lister,
CNN Money,
28 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Ruin.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ruin. Accessed 2 May. 2026.
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