1
as in bankrupted
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
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in destroyed
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 wrecked
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
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of ruined
Literary Hub, 17 Nov. 2025
Paul Sullivan, Chicago Tribune, 29 Apr. 2026
Was so excited to make these and they were ruined by your poor recipe like many others!
—Christopher Kostow, Bon Appetit Magazine, 27 Apr. 2026
Detroit Dog Rescue The team says the trail, originally made possible by donations, is now ruined.
—Alysia Burgio, CBS News, 27 Apr. 2026
Survivor all-star Christian Hubicki was kind to Jimmy Fallon, not even screaming at, threatening, or lunging toward the host who ruined his game on Survivor 50.
—Jason P. Frank, Vulture, 24 Apr. 2026
This wouldn’t be the first time protesters have ruined a Bezos event.
—Matt Donnelly, Variety, 23 Apr. 2026
In a statement, Israeli police acknowledged the incident but made no mention of the flags or of Sinclair’s allegation that an officer ruined his kippah.
—Tal Shalev, CNN Money, 23 Apr. 2026
Lawyers representing thousands of people sued the state, claiming decisions by environmental regulators contributed to the dam collapse and ruined property values and their enjoyment of Wixom Lake, 150 miles (241 kilometers) northwest of Detroit.
—ABC News, 23 Apr. 2026
The City of Fort Lauderdale has been in need of a new city hall after the historic flooding of April 2023 ruined its old city hall.
—Amanda Rosa, Miami Herald, 22 Apr. 2026
Adjective
His choices allow the viewer to drink in the intimate details of the ruined world.
—Literary Hub, 17 Nov. 2025
Verb
In other words, atrocious starts have ruined the Sox’s season before anyone had a chance to get excited.
—Paul Sullivan, Chicago Tribune, 29 Apr. 2026
Was so excited to make these and they were ruined by your poor recipe like many others!
—Christopher Kostow, Bon Appetit Magazine, 27 Apr. 2026
Detroit Dog Rescue The team says the trail, originally made possible by donations, is now ruined.
—Alysia Burgio, CBS News, 27 Apr. 2026
Survivor all-star Christian Hubicki was kind to Jimmy Fallon, not even screaming at, threatening, or lunging toward the host who ruined his game on Survivor 50.
—Jason P. Frank, Vulture, 24 Apr. 2026
This wouldn’t be the first time protesters have ruined a Bezos event.
—Matt Donnelly, Variety, 23 Apr. 2026
In a statement, Israeli police acknowledged the incident but made no mention of the flags or of Sinclair’s allegation that an officer ruined his kippah.
—Tal Shalev, CNN Money, 23 Apr. 2026
Lawyers representing thousands of people sued the state, claiming decisions by environmental regulators contributed to the dam collapse and ruined property values and their enjoyment of Wixom Lake, 150 miles (241 kilometers) northwest of Detroit.
—ABC News, 23 Apr. 2026
The City of Fort Lauderdale has been in need of a new city hall after the historic flooding of April 2023 ruined its old city hall.
—Amanda Rosa, Miami Herald, 22 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ruined
Verb
-
Yet much of the region’s decline was caused by Russian or pro-Russian oligarchs who had bought up factories, bankrupted them to eliminate competition, and imposed brutal conditions on workers.—
Nataliya Gumenyuk,
The Dial,
21 Apr. 2026
-
Enveloped in their own scandals of excess, Pantages, Mills and Shreve were bankrupted.—
Eric DuVall,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
15 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The assault killed at least seventeen people, including a twelve-year-old boy, wounded dozens, and destroyed buildings.—
Sudarsan Raghavan,
New Yorker,
28 Apr. 2026
-
The 24 staff members in Ruiz Verduzco’s office are tasked with assisting victims and their families, establishing programs in communities destroyed by violence and drumming up financial support.—
Molly Quell,
Los Angeles Times,
28 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Two cars were wrecked and two people suffered injuries in a crash on busy Irving Park Road in the neighborhood of the same name early Monday morning.—
Kris Habermehl,
CBS News,
27 Apr. 2026
-
Girls getting wrecked on prom night?—
Amanda Whiting,
Vulture,
22 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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More recently, Nvidia's doomed effort to acquire the British chip designer Arm Holdings encountered regulatory scrutiny across multiple jurisdictions, including China, before collapsing under the weight of geopolitical and competition concerns.—
Dewardric L. McNeal,
CNBC,
28 Apr. 2026
-
Continue reading … THAT SETTLES IT — Archaeologists crack 'Spanish Roanoke' mystery with haunting find from doomed colony.—
,
FOXNews.com,
27 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
-
In the years since, the cartel's two warring factions have ravaged the northern Mexican state in their struggle for territorial control.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
29 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Manchester City await, a team Chelsea have not beaten for five years and who demolished them 3-0 at Stamford Bridge in the league just two weeks ago.—
Simon Johnson,
New York Times,
27 Apr. 2026
-
At the facility, officials found several bodies in hazardous conditions inside the building that was later condemned and demolished by federal environmental regulators as a toxic waste site.—
Eduardo Cuevas,
USA Today,
25 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Once a team trades draft capital to acquire or retain a star, those picks become sunk costs.—
Spencer Harrison,
New York Times,
1 Feb. 2026
-
Stress and resentment often builds within relationships driven by sunk cost thinking, which increases within the relationship.—
Gabrielle Kassel,
SELF,
29 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Two young Alabama siblings are dead following an early morning crash, leaving their mother devastated at the sudden loss.—
Angel Saunders,
PEOPLE,
24 Apr. 2026
-
Celeste’s family was overwhelmed and devastated to hear details of the allegations against d4vd during his arraignment on Monday, their attorney, Patrick Steinfeld, told CNN.—
Andi Babineau,
CNN Money,
23 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Ruined.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ruined. Accessed 2 May. 2026.
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