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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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
Larisha Paul, Rolling Stone, 30 July 2025
After Roberts’ character learns that Mulroney’s is about to get married to his picture perfect fiancée (Diaz), Roberts sets out to stake her claim…and ruin the nuptials.
—Samantha Bergeson, IndieWire, 29 July 2025
Jason P. Frank, Vulture, 28 July 2025
What begins as a lifeline quickly spirals into danger, as the pair devise a high stakes plan to offload the fortune and escape their financial ruin.
—Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 28 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for ruin
Verb
Leave it to the Trump Administration to ruin one of the funniest viral trends of the year.
—Larisha Paul, Rolling Stone, 30 July 2025
After Roberts’ character learns that Mulroney’s is about to get married to his picture perfect fiancée (Diaz), Roberts sets out to stake her claim…and ruin the nuptials.
—Samantha Bergeson, IndieWire, 29 July 2025
Noun
But from a social perspective, disgrace and ruin were very real, pressing threats.
—Jason P. Frank, Vulture, 28 July 2025
What begins as a lifeline quickly spirals into danger, as the pair devise a high stakes plan to offload the fortune and escape their financial ruin.
—Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 28 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for ruin
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ruin
Verb
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One of them failed ‒ a franchise of Dickey's Barbecue Pit, which also bankrupted many other franchisees.—
Eduardo Cuevas,
USA Today,
24 July 2025
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Here, DeMonaco teases more interesting ideas about how the greed of older people has bankrupted current and future inhabitants of this fragile planet.—
Lovia Gyarkye,
HollywoodReporter,
24 July 2025
Verb
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In return, he was allowed to effectively destroy a nature site of great conservation value.—
Kim Hjelmgaard,
USA Today,
26 July 2025
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When the Silver Surfer arrives in New York to destroy the final teleportation tower, Johnny plays those traumatic recordings over speakers in Earth-828's version of Times Square, hoping to appeal to her empathy.—
EW.com,
EW.com,
25 July 2025
Verb
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Not only has its air defense infrastructure suffered badly in the confrontations with Israel, but its regional proxies and allies – Hamas, Hezbollah and the Assad regime in Syria – have either been devastated by Israel or collapsed altogether.—
Linggong Kong,
The Conversation,
22 July 2025
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Today, disaster seekers pack tours through New Orleans neighborhoods devastated by Hurricane Katrina two decades ago, and visitors continue to flock to Galveston to see the legacy of a hurricane that killed thousands more than a century earlier.—
Lila Hempel-Edgers
July 22,
Charlotte Observer,
22 July 2025
Noun
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Unfortunately for the over 200 families and individuals renting at Acacia Cliffs, the City Council has incentivized our displacement and the destruction of 290 of the most affordable apartments in West Austin.—
Shonda Novak,
Austin American Statesman,
30 July 2025
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Weary of dealing with angry calls from the mayor about Frank’s blithe trail of city property destruction, police chief Davis (CCH Pounder) warns him to play nice with major donor Kane, since Police Squad’s funding is at risk.—
David Rooney,
HollywoodReporter,
30 July 2025
Noun
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The wreck is the subject of a new documentary made by historian Dan Snow for his streaming service History Hit.—
Lianne Kolirin,
CNN Money,
30 July 2025
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The wreck happened around 11:50 a.m., according to the North Carolina Department of Transportation.—
Joe Marusak,
Charlotte Observer,
27 July 2025
Noun
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Since emerging from bankruptcy, the company has overhauled its menu—streamlining offerings by 20% while adding new items like Lobster Pappardelle Pasta, Bacon-Wrapped Sea Scallops, and revitalizing favorites including hush puppies and popcorn shrimp.—
Nick Lichtenberg,
Fortune,
25 July 2025
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The documentary was completed prior to Joel’s recent diagnosis of normal pressure hydrocephalus, but there are candid assessments of other struggles he’s endured, including depression, bankruptcy and alcoholism.—
Melissa Ruggieri,
USA Today,
25 July 2025
Noun
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Her goal is clear: to drive a wedge between Lorenzo and his family and bring about his downfall.—
Anna Marie de la Fuente,
Variety,
31 July 2025
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The bill's downfall prompted outrage from state GOP leaders and celebration from the proposal’s opponents.—
Bayliss Wagner,
Austin American Statesman,
30 July 2025
Verb
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Photograph by Matt Ramey / Redux Chased by Climate Disaster in North Carolina Just days after floods ravaged Texas, Tropical Storm Chantal dumped ten inches of rain on parts of central North Carolina, closing hundreds of roads and killing several people.—
Ian Crouch,
New Yorker,
15 July 2025
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Heavy rains over the July 4 holiday ravaged the Guadalupe River in Kerr County, killing 132 people.—
TJ Macias
July 14,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
14 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Ruin.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ruin. Accessed 7 Aug. 2025.
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