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
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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
Kansas City Star,
30 June 2026
Porsha deflects, saying Drew ruined the mood.
—
Ile-Ife Okantah,
Vulture,
29 June 2026
Hallie Milstein,
Southern Living,
17 June 2026
Mussolini had a villa built, reduced like almost everything else to a pile of ruins.
—
Marzio G. Mian,
Vanity Fair,
16 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for ruin
Verb
As such, the stadium and ensuing further reimagination of the area upon which Kansas City was founded and later left to ruin for decades stands for more yet than being purpose-built for a women’s team.
—
Kansas City Star,
30 June 2026
Porsha deflects, saying Drew ruined the mood.
—
Ile-Ife Okantah,
Vulture,
29 June 2026
Noun
Like photos, books and magazines may also stick and ruin from the heat and humidity.
—
Hallie Milstein,
Southern Living,
17 June 2026
Mussolini had a villa built, reduced like almost everything else to a pile of ruins.
—
Marzio G. Mian,
Vanity Fair,
16 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for ruin
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ruin
Verb
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The ruling was a victory for states, which said such claims could bankrupt them.
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Most manufacturers were bankrupted by equipment failures and financial challenges, making the 1990s a tough time for wind power’s pioneers.
Verb
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National Assembly President Jorge Rodríguez, the brother of acting President Delcy Rodríguez, said on Sunday that more than 12,000 people have been displaced by the earthquakes and 774 buildings have been damaged or destroyed, including hospitals.
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There's nothing more quintessential to being a kid than playing Little League baseball, but on July Fourth, 2025, along with so much more, the Little League fields of Hill Country were destroyed, along with the innocence of thousands of kids who live here.
Verb
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The project has sparked outrage because of the location’s pristine nature and unique habitat that would be irreversibly devastated, according to environmentalists.
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BangkokReuters — The family of a 17-year-old Thai girl whose body was found in a suitcase in Pattaya said they were devastated by her death, for which an Australian man has been arrested and charged with murder.
Noun
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David Hearn, a former Olympic canoeist, told the the Washington Post he was arrested on June 19 and charged with misdemeanor destruction of government property.
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This came on the heels of another round of tornadoes just four days earlier that leveled buildings and caused widespread destruction across the region.
Noun
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Neither alcohol nor drugs appeared to factor in the fatal wreck.
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Mental health support usually means stop ignoring the conditions that wreck performance.
Noun
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Saks Global officially filed for bankruptcy in January, kicking off a saga of restructuring under van Raemdonck, who was appointed to the CEO role when Saks filed.
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When a debtor files for bankruptcy, a stay automatically goes into effect that prohibits creditors from taking collection actions against the debtor without leave of the bankruptcy court.
Noun
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That would be his downfall on Monday, too, hitting his putt a little too hard.
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The Sound and The Fury Told by four narrators in a stream of consciousness writing style, this 1929 story describes the downfall of a wealthy Southern aristocratic family, the Compsons.
Verb
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Shana McDiarmid and her now-boyfriend, Cameron, are another couple who benefitted from the foundation after their rental property was ravaged thanks to its proximity to the river.
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Were civic centers nothing more than Trojan horses designed to ravage humanities departments across the nation?
Cite this Entry
“Ruin.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ruin. Accessed 3 Jul. 2026.
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