ruinous

adjective

ru·​in·​ous ˈrü-ə-nəs 

1

: dilapidated, ruined

2

: causing or tending to cause ruin

ruinously adverb

ruinousness noun

Synonyms

• calamitous
• cataclysmal
• cataclysmic
• catastrophic
• damning
• destructive
• disastrous
• fatal
• fateful
• unfortunate

Examples of ruinous in a Sentence

The house has fallen into a ruinous state.

a ruinous miscalculation of the financial markets left them bankrupt

Recent Examples on the Web

The financial domain could be monetarily ruinous to someone. —Lance Eliot, Forbes, 5 Nov. 2024

There is something innately amusing about meaty, cheesy pasta as a sculptural material, but in combination with the mythically ruinous painkiller, comedy and tragedy conspired to forge an unforgettable image-concept. —Jeff Gibson, Artforum, 1 Nov. 2024

But Trump’s jokes can be similarly, if more subtly, ruinous. —Megan Garber, The Atlantic, 23 Oct. 2024

Boeing has been dealing with one problem after another — ranging from embarrassing to tragic and all financially ruinous — for more than five years. —Chris Isidore, CNN, 19 Oct. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

ruinous

adjective

ru·​in·​ous ˈrü-ə-nəs 

: causing or tending to cause ruin : destructive

ruinously adverb