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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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
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Recent Examples of ruin
Samantha Bergeson, IndieWire, 8 July 2025
Pinot’s fortunes in the press, as Tour after Tour were ruined by crashes, injuries or form, embodied it.
—Jacob Whitehead, New York Times, 8 July 2025
Lauren Liebhaber, Miami Herald, 1 July 2025
As a result, approximately 100 million Americans have medical debt and two-thirds delay care for fear of financial ruin.
—Cynthia A Fisher, The Orlando Sentinel, 28 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for ruin
Verb
Terry Gilliam is pointing the finger at Donald Trump for ruining comedy.
—Samantha Bergeson, IndieWire, 8 July 2025
Pinot’s fortunes in the press, as Tour after Tour were ruined by crashes, injuries or form, embodied it.
—Jacob Whitehead, New York Times, 8 July 2025
Noun
The ruins of the Lighthouse of Alexandria were discovered in 1995 by archaeologist Jean-Yves, according to the release.
—Lauren Liebhaber, Miami Herald, 1 July 2025
As a result, approximately 100 million Americans have medical debt and two-thirds delay care for fear of financial ruin.
—Cynthia A Fisher, The Orlando Sentinel, 28 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for ruin
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ruin
Verb
-
Similar civil lawsuits against white supremacist and far-right groups have been successful in the past, in some cases bankrupting them with steep financial penalties.—
Dan Horn,
The Enquirer,
2 July 2025
-
That has been exacerbated by the attacks from the right on the signature piece of Trump’s legislation, a tax and spending package that figures like Elon Musk have argued would bankrupt the federal government.—
Ted Johnson,
Deadline,
12 June 2025
Verb
-
The lawsuit alleges that Merit Street’s business partner, Trinity Broadcasting of Fort Worth, destroyed its television network and forced the bankruptcy declaration.—
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
14 July 2025
-
Grand Canyon Lodge North Rim wildfire: National Park Service says only hotel destroyed The Grand Canyon Lodge was the park's only hotel, according the National Park Service, with the next nearest lodgings roughly 18 miles away.—
John Tufts,
IndyStar,
14 July 2025
Verb
-
Hill Country was devastated by flash flooding on July 4 after torrential downpours caused the Guadalupe River to rise to near 30 feet.—
Abigail Adams,
People.com,
14 July 2025
-
John Tufts The Grand Canyon North Rim, including the historic Grand Canyon Lodge, has been devastated by the Dragon Bravo wildfire.—
John Tufts,
IndyStar,
14 July 2025
Noun
-
July 6, 2025: A large scale of destruction in Georgetown, downed trees show the aftermath of raging floodwaters in the South San Gabriel River.—
Hannah Parry
Amanda Castro,
MSNBC Newsweek,
8 July 2025
-
Distressed styles have also done incredibly well for the brand, with two of its top seasonal styles featuring varying degrees of abrasion, from light fading to medium destruction.—
Angela Velasquez,
Sourcing Journal,
7 July 2025
Noun
-
Then the manager informs you that the server is a single mom and her little boy was recently killed in a car wreck.—
Bryan Robinson,
Forbes.com,
8 July 2025
-
The danger of Highway 109 Since 2019, the Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security has documented 1,625 wrecks on State Route 109 from I-40 to the Sumner County line in Wilson County through mid-October.—
Andy Humbles,
The Tennessean,
2 July 2025
Noun
-
In the event of bankruptcy, stablecoin holders are prioritized for repayment.—
Becca Bratcher,
Forbes.com,
14 July 2025
-
Dayton, a small community near Chattanooga, had lost a factory to bankruptcy and needed the boost.—
Paige Williams,
New Yorker,
13 July 2025
Noun
-
Some slides did have a 1 hour wait time but that was the only downfall. ...—
Meredith G. White,
AZCentral.com,
3 July 2025
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At a time when countless think pieces have been penned about the downfall of original animation, particularly in the light of recent box office flops from major players like Pixar, Applehans says studios should look to broaden their outlook, instead of relying on tired tropes.—
Katcy Stephan,
Variety,
1 July 2025
Verb
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Those include a string of deadly tornadoes that swept through Kentucky in May, and some of the wildfires that ravaged Los Angeles in January.—
Rachel Treisman,
NPR,
10 July 2025
-
Lowering the cost of eggs, which spiked in recent years as an avian flu outbreak ravaged American flocks, was one of President Donald Trump's key campaign promises in the lead-up to the 2024 election.—
Giulia Carbonaro,
MSNBC Newsweek,
10 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Ruin.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ruin. Accessed 18 Jul. 2025.
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