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
-
By clinging to Newtonian certainty, economics often destroys the opportunity to do something magically creative.—
Eric Markowitz,
Big Think,
30 Dec. 2024 -
Other points-counterpoints focus on whether pasteurization also destroys vitamins in milk.—
Jan Ellen Spiegel,
Hartford Courant,
24 Dec. 2024
Noun
-
At least two of the dead were construction workers who were killed by falling rubble or debris, rescue worker Songwut Wangpon told reporters.—
David Rising,
Chicago Tribune,
28 Mar. 2025
-
So far, federal cleanup crews have cleared ash and rubble from more than 860 properties, according to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.—
Tony Briscoe,
Los Angeles Times,
27 Mar. 2025
Noun
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Dazed individuals are seen walking among debris in a hallway, with smoke in the air and power knocked out.—
Abeer Salman,
CNN,
23 Mar. 2025
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The mayor reported falling debris and fires in three districts of the capital.—
David Brennan,
ABC News,
23 Mar. 2025
Noun
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The team of masons, covered in dust and sweat, had been working in the ruins of the Altadena house for hours when a shout echoed across the wreckage.—
Laura J. Nelson,
Los Angeles Times,
18 Mar. 2025
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Other videos show villagers gathered nearby, watching as black smoke continues to billow from the wreckage.—
David Faris,
Newsweek,
17 Mar. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Ruins.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ruins. Accessed 2 Apr. 2025.
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