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
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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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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
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Examples Sentences
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Recent Examples of ruin
Tessa Solomon, ARTnews.com, 1 Nov. 2024
They were found at a depth of up to 4.5 feet, and while some seem well-preserved, others are cracked or ruined.
—Margherita Bassi, Smithsonian Magazine, 1 Nov. 2024
Sonja Anderson, Smithsonian Magazine, 5 Nov. 2024
Failure to adhere to the latest AI regulations risks legal penalties, reputational damage, operational shutdowns and financial ruin.
7.
—Rehan Jalil, Forbes, 5 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for ruin 
Verb
Ancient Roman ruins in Baalbek, a historic city in Lebanon, survived an initial wave of Israeli air strikes this week, Baalbek Mayor Mustafa al-Shell told the BBC.
—Tessa Solomon, ARTnews.com, 1 Nov. 2024
They were found at a depth of up to 4.5 feet, and while some seem well-preserved, others are cracked or ruined.
—Margherita Bassi, Smithsonian Magazine, 1 Nov. 2024
Noun
The fort’s ruins have also revealed several mosaics, some of which have been moved to a local museum for restoration.
—Sonja Anderson, Smithsonian Magazine, 5 Nov. 2024
Failure to adhere to the latest AI regulations risks legal penalties, reputational damage, operational shutdowns and financial ruin.
7.
—Rehan Jalil, Forbes, 5 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for ruin
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ruin
Verb
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Trump has tried to tackle medical billing, a byzantine—and sometimes bankrupting—process for many in the U.S.Lauren J. Young, Scientific American, 8 Oct. 2024
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But 2020 proved to be a crippling blow that threatened to bankrupt the theater where Smith forged his love affair with movies.Christian Zilko, IndieWire, 5 Oct. 2024
Verb
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Approximately 40 firefighters responded to the blaze, which was first reported at 11:43 a.m., destroyed one building, damaged at least three others, and downed utility wires along 17th Street.Ryan Macasero, The Mercury News, 10 Nov. 2024
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The fire destroyed an apartment building near Ammons Street and West 12th Avenue, killing two cats and displacing four people, according to West Metro Fire Rescue.Katie Langford, The Denver Post, 8 Nov. 2024
Verb
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While many athletes would be devastated, Ellis saw it as an opportunity to pursue his original dream: a career in entertainment.Eric Andersson, People.com, 5 Nov. 2024
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Western North Carolina was devastated by extreme flooding after Hurricane Helene in late September, raising concerns about election access.Lauren Irwin, The Hill, 4 Nov. 2024
Noun
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But amid the stories of destruction and despair, the film also promises a vision of a better world, of a future where Israelis and Palestinians, like the directors of this documentary, can work together towards justice and freedom.Scott Roxborough, The Hollywood Reporter, 5 Nov. 2024
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In 2015 and 2016, battles between rebels and Assad’s forces in the Syrian city of Homs led to the destruction of captagon facilities there; some production briefly returned to Lebanon.Ed Caesar, The New Yorker, 4 Nov. 2024
Noun
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The shores of Europe were littered with wrecks from the First World War.Sam Knight, The New Yorker, 4 Nov. 2024
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Skye is a wreck from the moment of her fateful contact, and watching an unstable protagonist get bludgeoned by terror in a world where almost nothing seems real is less gripping than watching one who’s actively fighting for her survival.David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter, 16 Oct. 2024
Noun
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The filing also notes the company's recent emergence from Chapter 11 bankruptcy proceedings and its ongoing efforts to stabilize operations and improve liquidity.Quartz Bot, Quartz, 7 Nov. 2024
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Most recently, in the bankruptcy proceedings for Silvergate Bank, an executive testified that the bank shut down because regulators didn't offer it a path forward.Brady Dale, Axios, 5 Nov. 2024
Noun
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Some of the men whose downfalls were celebrated during the height of the #MeToo movement have been welcomed back with open arms.Julie Roginsky, Deadline, 23 Oct. 2024
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Presley remarried and, using IVF, had twin daughters at 40 — which, oddly, marked the beginning of a long downfall.Chris Willman, Variety, 9 Oct. 2024
Verb
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His family was living the reality unfolding before his eyes—his beloved homeland ravaged, night after night.David Faris, Newsweek, 4 Nov. 2024
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Spain, despite storms that have ravaged the Valencia region, brought in $937K from 291 screens at No. 5 for the weekend.Nancy Tartaglione, Deadline, 3 Nov. 2024
Thesaurus Entries Near ruin
Cite this Entry
“Ruin.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ruin. Accessed 21 Nov. 2024.
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