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
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
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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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Recent Examples of ruin
Andy Swift, TVLine, 12 Feb. 2025
As long as there isn’t legislation making scalping impossible, and there remains a huge gulf between what artists are charging and what people are willing to pay, resellers are going to be very motivated to ruin the concert ticket-buying experience.
—Whizy Kim, Vox, 12 Feb. 2025
Harrison Richlin, IndieWire, 26 Jan. 2025
In the ruins of an apocalyptic war zone, Mitch Marner is gunning for you.
—Joshua Kloke, The Athletic, 24 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for ruin 
Verb
Everything seems perfect until a big-city developer’s plans to build condos threatens to ruin the town’s National Margarita Day traditions.
—Andy Swift, TVLine, 12 Feb. 2025
As long as there isn’t legislation making scalping impossible, and there remains a huge gulf between what artists are charging and what people are willing to pay, resellers are going to be very motivated to ruin the concert ticket-buying experience.
—Whizy Kim, Vox, 12 Feb. 2025
Noun
Bureaucratic stresses and the risk of personal financial ruin have been especially heaped upon independent producers.
—Harrison Richlin, IndieWire, 26 Jan. 2025
In the ruins of an apocalyptic war zone, Mitch Marner is gunning for you.
—Joshua Kloke, The Athletic, 24 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for ruin
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ruin
Verb
-
The stop order has paralyzed U.S. aid programs around the world, bankrupting fragile local aid groups and small businesses and putting lives at risk.—
Andrew Natsios,
Foreign Affairs,
7 Feb. 2025
-
Ukraine's drone operations are designed to bankrupt Moscow's ability to continue funding the war, and the damage on oil production and processing facilities has also impacted Russia's economy.—
Daniel R. Depetris,
Newsweek,
1 Feb. 2025
Verb
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In addition to Meester and Brody, Cameron Mathison, Anna Faris, Ricki Lake, Cary Elwes and Spencer Pratt and Heidi Montag were among the stars who confirmed that their homes were also destroyed.—
Stephanie Wenger,
People.com,
8 Feb. 2025
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The storm destroyed every structure on the island, wiping out the concert stage, tiki bar, giant slide and food truck.—
Gabrielle Calise Tampa Bay Times (TNS),
arkansasonline.com,
8 Feb. 2025
Verb
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As the fires devastated the city, some of the first aid administered to Los Angeles was provided by chefs and restaurants.—
Stephanie Breijo,
Los Angeles Times,
6 Feb. 2025
-
Friends began to worry, and then were devastated by the news, KATV reported.—
Mitchell Willetts,
Kansas City Star,
6 Feb. 2025
Noun
-
The epic destruction that surrounds the Villa today adds an unnerving element to the exhibition’s art historical context.—
Christopher Knight,
Los Angeles Times,
11 Feb. 2025
-
Because mutually assured destruction has already occurred.—
James Hibberd,
The Hollywood Reporter,
11 Feb. 2025
Noun
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Cases of Busch Light beer poured out of the truck after the wreck, which happened at about 2:30 a.m. Feb. 13 on Interstate 75 near a rest area in Ruskin, according to a Florida Highway Patrol news release.—
Natalie Demaree,
Miami Herald,
13 Feb. 2025
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Three people were killed and five more injured in wrecks on Arkansas roads Saturday, Monday and early Tuesday, according to preliminary reports from law enforcement.—
Grant Lancaster,
arkansasonline.com,
12 Feb. 2025
Noun
-
The casinos brought in a lot of money, though not enough to cover Trump’s debt expenses, leading to bankruptcies in the early 1990s.—
Dan Alexander,
Forbes,
8 Feb. 2025
-
That venture ended in bankruptcy, according to a 2017 interview McMahon gave to CNBC.—
Jonaki Mehta,
NPR,
8 Feb. 2025
Noun
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The downfall of Emilia Pérez The team behind Emilia Pérez at the 2025 Golden Globes.—
Radhika Seth,
Vogue,
8 Feb. 2025
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Despite her two court appearances in 2019, Gibson has rarely been seen since her public downfall.—
Lynsey Eidell,
People.com,
8 Feb. 2025
Verb
-
Syria, totally ravaged by war, needs an entirely new political settlement.—
Maha Yahya,
Foreign Affairs,
17 Feb. 2025
-
Activists and health workers have spent many years building trust in communities ravaged by HIV, fighting shame and stigma to bring the pandemic out of the shadows.—
Ryan Lenora Brown,
The Christian Science Monitor,
14 Feb. 2025
Thesaurus Entries Near ruin
Cite this Entry
“Ruin.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ruin. Accessed 22 Feb. 2025.
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