1
as in bankrupting
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 destroying
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 wrecking
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 ruining
Determining how the teen died took time, and after months of additional investigation, prosecutors announced charges against D4vd that allege her murder was a premeditated attempt to keep her from ruining his music career by exposing their underage relationship.
—
Meredith Deliso, ABC News, 23 Apr. 2026
Additionally, wet windows can accumulate condensation overnight, potentially ruining your hard work.
—Mary Cornetta, Better Homes & Gardens, 18 Apr. 2026
These tenacious insects discreetly land on your skin, leaving sudden, itchy, and painful bites that can swell and turn red, ruining a perfectly pleasant outdoor evening.
—Louise Parks, Martha Stewart, 18 Apr. 2026
While the couple was able to laugh it off in the moment, the majority of comments on TikTok were negative, with people accusing Zach of being an attention-seeker and ruining the wedding.
—Ashlyn Robinette, PEOPLE, 17 Apr. 2026
Keep mosquitoes from ruining the vibe in your backyard living room with this set of two citronella-scented candles.
—Bestreviews, Chicago Tribune, 16 Apr. 2026
Taking a character off of TV’s hottest comedy at the time would leave a gaping hole, or risk ruining a side character who couldn’t hold a show of their own.
—Jennifer Armstrong, IndieWire, 15 Apr. 2026
Albert says finding a way to help advertisers market their brands without ruining the experience of gaming is not just a solution for his clients, but also for people like him who love gaming.
—Jack Springgate, CBS News, 14 Apr. 2026
But his crewmates kept ruining the vibe.
—Michael Tedder, The Atlantic, 12 Apr. 2026
Meredith Deliso, ABC News, 23 Apr. 2026
Additionally, wet windows can accumulate condensation overnight, potentially ruining your hard work.
—Mary Cornetta, Better Homes & Gardens, 18 Apr. 2026
These tenacious insects discreetly land on your skin, leaving sudden, itchy, and painful bites that can swell and turn red, ruining a perfectly pleasant outdoor evening.
—Louise Parks, Martha Stewart, 18 Apr. 2026
While the couple was able to laugh it off in the moment, the majority of comments on TikTok were negative, with people accusing Zach of being an attention-seeker and ruining the wedding.
—Ashlyn Robinette, PEOPLE, 17 Apr. 2026
Keep mosquitoes from ruining the vibe in your backyard living room with this set of two citronella-scented candles.
—Bestreviews, Chicago Tribune, 16 Apr. 2026
Taking a character off of TV’s hottest comedy at the time would leave a gaping hole, or risk ruining a side character who couldn’t hold a show of their own.
—Jennifer Armstrong, IndieWire, 15 Apr. 2026
Albert says finding a way to help advertisers market their brands without ruining the experience of gaming is not just a solution for his clients, but also for people like him who love gaming.
—Jack Springgate, CBS News, 14 Apr. 2026
But his crewmates kept ruining the vibe.
—Michael Tedder, The Atlantic, 12 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ruining
Verb
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Among its many distinctions, SPLC is known for bankrupting the Ku Klux Klan.—
Clarence Page,
Chicago Tribune,
27 Apr. 2026
-
The Aryan Nations case in 2000 delivered a similar outcome for the Keenans, effectively bankrupting Aryan Nations and Butler, one of the nation’s most influential hate proliferators.—
Josh Meyer,
USA Today,
25 Apr. 2026
Verb
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As Miles manages to lift up Lily and get her out of there, MPKs start hurling flash-bangs, destroying the Ed Baldwin shrine and shooting a couple of protesters in the process.—
Sophie Brookover,
Vulture,
24 Apr. 2026
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Ukrainian forces are systematically striking Russian oil refineries, pipelines, and storage facilities over 600 miles inside Russia, destroying tens of billions in infrastructure and disrupting Moscow’s war finances.—
Hanna Arhirova,
Los Angeles Times,
23 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The animal begins wrecking the fields and terrorizing the people.—
Perin Gürel,
The Conversation,
22 Apr. 2026
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The tornado left a trail of damage in Hillsdale, Kansas, Monday night, wrecking an RV park, toppling power lines, leveling homes and destroying a storage facility near West 255th Street.—
Kendrick Calfee,
Kansas City Star,
16 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The Thunder dug in their heels through two Game 7s, a title run and a season of ravaging injury luck.—
Joel Lorenzi,
New York Times,
20 Apr. 2026
-
Taiwanese friends have told me that the tariffs are ravaging their businesses.—
Michelle Kuo,
The Dial,
14 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Those sweaters have so much mojo, as shown by Allen just demolishing what looked to be a Corona.—
Matt Reigle OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
22 Apr. 2026
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And the city has further rules around demolishing older buildings, passed in late 2024.—
Chris Higgins,
Kansas City Star,
22 Apr. 2026
Verb
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House Republicans approved the resolution last month despite conservationists’ warnings that the move would lead to devastating pollution in one of the country’s last remaining wild areas.—
Todd Richmond,
Twin Cities,
16 Apr. 2026
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Two tornadoes ripped through west Michigan on April 14, devastating a family dairy farm in Fenick, releasing hundreds of cows and leaving thousands without power.—
Samantha Agate,
Miami Herald,
15 Apr. 2026
Verb
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In a race for the ages, Sabastian Sawe of Kenya won the London Marathon in 1 hour, 59 minutes and 30 seconds on Sunday, shattering the previous men’s world record by an astonishing 65 seconds.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
26 Apr. 2026
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The Kenyan runner won the London Marathon in 1 hour, 59 minutes and 30 seconds, shattering the previous men’s world record by 65 seconds.—
Ryan Gaydos,
FOXNews.com,
26 Apr. 2026
Verb
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But as anyone who’s dropped a mug knows, ceramics are also brittle and prone to smashing.—
Caitlin Kennedy,
Scientific American,
25 Apr. 2026
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Police officers arrived at her Hollywood Hills home in Los Angeles and learned that the attackers had left the woman inside after allegedly smashing her jaw and choking her.—
Francie Ebert,
NBC news,
25 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Ruining.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ruining. Accessed 1 May. 2026.
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