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
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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
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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
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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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 25 Apr. 2025
Even if the home had not had previous flooding, the rain bomb almost certainly would have ruined it.
—Alex Harris, Miami Herald, 24 Apr. 2025
Aspen Pflughoeft, Miami Herald, 22 Apr. 2025
In the mid-to-late ’70s, when New York was sunk into the torpor of potential economic ruin, the city was fabled in another way.
—Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 21 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for ruin
Verb
The pests can ruin the look of those leaves in short order.
—Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 25 Apr. 2025
Even if the home had not had previous flooding, the rain bomb almost certainly would have ruined it.
—Alex Harris, Miami Herald, 24 Apr. 2025
Noun
Police in northern Peru arrested two groups accused of illegally bulldozing and building a house at an archaeological park with 500-year-old ruins.
—Aspen Pflughoeft, Miami Herald, 22 Apr. 2025
In the mid-to-late ’70s, when New York was sunk into the torpor of potential economic ruin, the city was fabled in another way.
—Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 21 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for ruin
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ruin
Verb
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Legal fees and payouts to her former employees had bankrupted her, and she’d been reduced to driving a Ford Taurus.—
Nick Tabor,
Curbed,
11 Apr. 2025
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But like so many people, he had been bankrupted by his infection.—
Stephanie Nolen,
New York Times,
27 Mar. 2025
Verb
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More than half a dozen tornadoes have been confirmed, including one in Marshall County, Oklahoma, that left two homes completely destroyed and damaged about 20 others.—
Christopher Cann,
USA Today,
22 Apr. 2025
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The war has destroyed vast parts of Gaza and most of its food production capabilities.—
Melanie Lidman,
Los Angeles Times,
20 Apr. 2025
Verb
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At first, Tyrion's owner was devastated with her dog's diagnosis.—
Saman Shafiq,
USA Today,
20 Apr. 2025
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The loss has brought yet another heartbreak for the Townsend family, stemming from the mass shooting that devastated this suburban Denver community 26 years ago.—
Nicquel Terry Ellis,
CNN Money,
20 Apr. 2025
Noun
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Faced with the raging wars of recent years, with their inhuman horrors and countless deaths and destruction, Pope Francis incessantly raised his voice imploring peace and calling for reason and honest negotiation to find possible solutions.—
ABC NEWS,
ABC News,
26 Apr. 2025
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From hurricanes to wildfires, the U.S. has endured 403 billion-dollar climate and weather disasters since 1980—leaving behind a trail of destruction that’s cost the country more than $2.9 trillion.—
Mindy Lubber,
Forbes.com,
24 Apr. 2025
Noun
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Arenas' family shared a statement from one of the people who helped him out of the car after the wreck.—
Ryan Canfield,
FOXNews.com,
25 Apr. 2025
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But too much money, too much time wrecks creativity.—
Tommy McArdle,
People.com,
24 Apr. 2025
Noun
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About The Daily Money Each weekday, The Daily Money delivers the best consumer and financial news from USA TODAY, breaking down complex events, providing the TLDR version, and explaining how everything from Fed rate changes to bankruptcies impacts you.—
Daniel de Visé,
USA Today,
21 Apr. 2025
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If yes, please explain: No, I have not Have you been involved in a civil lawsuit or bankruptcy proceeding?—
Matthew Adams,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
20 Apr. 2025
Noun
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Ankara the Muslim Brotherhood government under Mohamed Morsi in Egypt before its downfall in 2014.—
Sinan Ciddi and Jonathan Schanzer,
MSNBC Newsweek,
23 Apr. 2025
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New Bedford, for instance, transformed into an industrial powerhouse following the downfall of the city’s famed whaling industry in the 1860s.—
Made by History,
Time,
21 Apr. 2025
Verb
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People stay at home and shop online, ravaging the streetscape of storefronts.—
Justin Davidson,
Curbed,
18 Apr. 2025
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Earlier this year, Osment was among the thousands of Angelenos who lost their homes in the devastating wildfires that ravaged parts of Southern California in January.—
Alexandra Del Rosario,
Los Angeles Times,
17 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Ruin.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ruin. Accessed 2 May. 2025.
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