1
as in bankrupts
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 ravages
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 destroys
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
as in rubble
the portion or bits of something left over or behind after it has been destroyed
the ruins of an abandoned abbey
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ruins
Verb
-
Development not only disturbs or destroys the soil, but wipes out habitat.—
Carl R. Gold,
Baltimore Sun,
30 Mar. 2025 -
First, allowing utilities to own generation destroys the competitive market.—
Mary Beth Tung,
Baltimore Sun,
27 Mar. 2025
Noun
-
Amy Downs, a 28-year-old bank teller at the time of the attack, spent six hours in the rubble of the federal building before being rescued, and the moment marked a transformation in her life.—
Alex Gurley,
People.com,
19 Apr. 2025
-
Firefighters continued to search the rubble and spray hot spots into Thursday morning.—
Jessica Schladebeck,
New York Daily News,
10 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
Those headed to Asheville can help with debris removal and rebuilding projects through All Hands and Hearts and the United Way of Asheville and Buncombe County, while Los Angeles visitors can volunteer with L.A. Works to repair homes, assemble food packages and organize clothes for survivors.—
Shoshi Parks,
Smithsonian Magazine,
14 Apr. 2025
-
Associated Press video showed the hospital’s caved-in roof surrounded by debris.—
Wafaa Shurafa and Samy Magdy,
Los Angeles Times,
13 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
Investigators are continuing to search for wreckage using side-scanning sonar.—
Alexandra Koch,
FOXNews.com,
17 Apr. 2025
-
Despite its initially violent impact, leading to ocean-churning tsunamis and globe-crossing flying wreckage, this impactor also left behind tremendous opportunity.—
Max Bennett,
Discover Magazine,
12 Apr. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Ruins.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ruins. Accessed 24 Apr. 2025.
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