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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of ruined
Literary Hub,
17 Nov. 2025
Ben Church,
CNN Money,
3 July 2026
Bovary is in some sense a morality tale, but what lifts it above didacticism, along with its bone-deep interiority, is that its romantic plotlines are as addictive as the genre works that have ruined poor Emma Bovary.
—
Boris Kachka,
The Atlantic,
3 July 2026
Porsha deflects, saying Drew ruined the mood.
—
Ile-Ife Okantah,
Vulture,
29 June 2026
Explosions had all but ruined my hearing.
—
Will MacKin,
New Yorker,
28 June 2026
In related news, scrolling down the Leafs’ all-time list of first-rounders has ruined my day.
—
Sean McIndoe,
New York Times,
26 June 2026
His obsession with the SAVE America Act has already scuttled the reauthorization of a surveillance tool and nearly ruined GOP efforts to increase immigration enforcement spending.
—
Ashley Lopez,
NPR,
25 June 2026
Its front-facing design deters pickpockets, while the water-resistant fabric protects your phone from surprise downpours or sweaty adventure days—because no one wants their phone ruined halfway through a trip.
—
Rosie Marder,
Travel + Leisure,
24 June 2026
Without a job, Chester worries her summer will be ruined.
—
ABC News,
18 June 2026
Adjective
His choices allow the viewer to drink in the intimate details of the ruined world.
—
Literary Hub,
17 Nov. 2025
Verb
Croatia still furious Despite the correct decision being made, Croatia manager Zlatko Dalić was far from happy, saying VAR had ruined the spirit of the game.
—
Ben Church,
CNN Money,
3 July 2026
Bovary is in some sense a morality tale, but what lifts it above didacticism, along with its bone-deep interiority, is that its romantic plotlines are as addictive as the genre works that have ruined poor Emma Bovary.
—
Boris Kachka,
The Atlantic,
3 July 2026
Porsha deflects, saying Drew ruined the mood.
—
Ile-Ife Okantah,
Vulture,
29 June 2026
Explosions had all but ruined my hearing.
—
Will MacKin,
New Yorker,
28 June 2026
In related news, scrolling down the Leafs’ all-time list of first-rounders has ruined my day.
—
Sean McIndoe,
New York Times,
26 June 2026
His obsession with the SAVE America Act has already scuttled the reauthorization of a surveillance tool and nearly ruined GOP efforts to increase immigration enforcement spending.
—
Ashley Lopez,
NPR,
25 June 2026
Its front-facing design deters pickpockets, while the water-resistant fabric protects your phone from surprise downpours or sweaty adventure days—because no one wants their phone ruined halfway through a trip.
—
Rosie Marder,
Travel + Leisure,
24 June 2026
Without a job, Chester worries her summer will be ruined.
—
ABC News,
18 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ruined
Adjective
-
George Clooney and Mark Wahlberg portrayed Gloucester fisherman on the doomed Andrea Gail.
-
Their desperate hope, their cruel denial still weigh on this nation’s soul 87 years later, though most Americans only caught glimpses of the doomed passengers through news reels.
Verb
-
Most manufacturers were bankrupted by equipment failures and financial challenges, making the 1990s a tough time for wind power’s pioneers.
-
He is relieved is working at a plant in Elkhart, Indiana which was once a 100-year-old family business, and was bought by a new investor who has nearly bankrupted it in two years.
Verb
-
These structures were regionally and culturally inspired, and largely destroyed during rapid and callous colonization.
-
The Aspen Acres fire has likely destroyed more than 200 homes, but the fire conditions have stopped damage assessment teams from accessing some areas to get a clearer picture, Pueblo County officials said.
Verb
-
In the history of mankind, socialist success stories are as rare as triple plays in baseball, but plenty of countries have been wrecked by it — Venezuela and Cuba, to name just two.
-
My polishing pads are always getting wrecked, used, or stolen by my dog (or all of those things).
Adjective
-
In my experience, mid-market companies operate with leaner teams and cannot absorb the sunk costs of a multi-month implementation with room for scope creep, reworks and failures.
-
Then there’s the sunk cost of picks already spent trying to find The Guy — picks that weren’t used for help up front for Bedard.
Verb
-
Many ranchers delayed rebuilding due to a resurgence of dryness this spring and wildfires that ravaged more grazing land.
-
The Panthers made the Cup Final in three consecutive years from 2023 to 2025, winning it all in the final two years of that stretch, before missing the playoffs last season as injuries ravaged the roster.
Verb
-
The East Wing of the White House was demolished suddenly in October 2025 and there is set to be a huge new ballroom, office spaces and an underground military complex in its place, though the design of the new building is still in flux.
-
Just months later, in October, the East Wing had been demolished without notice to make way for the new ballroom.
Adjective
-
But the reforms needed to keep this rally alive are nowhere near finished.
-
Norway had an identical record and finished runner-up in Group I, after a heavy 4-1 loss to France in its final group game.
Cite this Entry
“Ruined.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ruined. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.
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