1
as in bankrupting
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 destroying
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 wrecking
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
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of ruining
The Chiefs have seen some of league’s premier running backs — such as Saquon Barkley, Derrick Henry and Jahmyr Gibbs — and have met each challenge, preventing those elite players from ruining the defensive game plan.
—
Emily Curiel, Kansas City Star, 26 Oct. 2025
Clark reiterated his belief that the Dodgers are not ruining baseball.
—Evan Drellich, New York Times, 25 Oct. 2025
Roberts took his share of grief on social media, but if this is all about spending money, the Dodgers have had plenty of help ruining baseball.
—Barry M. Bloom, Sportico.com, 24 Oct. 2025
Be sure to allow 20-30 minutes for your eyes to adapt to the dark, and use a red light if needed in order to avoid ruining your night vision.
—Anthony Wood, Space.com, 20 Oct. 2025
Last offseason, the narrative that the Los Angeles Dodgers were ruining baseball was born.
—MSNBC Newsweek, 18 Oct. 2025
What follows is a series of comical misadventures—navigating checkpoints, ruining a wedding, and even car theft—all in a desperate race to get the dove to a beauty pageant in Jerusalem.
—Christian Zilko, IndieWire, 17 Oct. 2025
Packages of flying tortillas thrown at the wrong time, or pocket knives, would only hurt a reputation that Texas Tech has worked doggedly to change and show that the Red Raiders are at home on a national stage, and not the crazy drunk uncle ruining a holiday.
—Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 14 Oct. 2025
Since 2021, Spotify has offered an alternative app for kids to listen to music without ruining their parents recommendations.
—PC Magazine, 14 Oct. 2025
Emily Curiel, Kansas City Star, 26 Oct. 2025
Clark reiterated his belief that the Dodgers are not ruining baseball.
—Evan Drellich, New York Times, 25 Oct. 2025
Roberts took his share of grief on social media, but if this is all about spending money, the Dodgers have had plenty of help ruining baseball.
—Barry M. Bloom, Sportico.com, 24 Oct. 2025
Be sure to allow 20-30 minutes for your eyes to adapt to the dark, and use a red light if needed in order to avoid ruining your night vision.
—Anthony Wood, Space.com, 20 Oct. 2025
Last offseason, the narrative that the Los Angeles Dodgers were ruining baseball was born.
—MSNBC Newsweek, 18 Oct. 2025
What follows is a series of comical misadventures—navigating checkpoints, ruining a wedding, and even car theft—all in a desperate race to get the dove to a beauty pageant in Jerusalem.
—Christian Zilko, IndieWire, 17 Oct. 2025
Packages of flying tortillas thrown at the wrong time, or pocket knives, would only hurt a reputation that Texas Tech has worked doggedly to change and show that the Red Raiders are at home on a national stage, and not the crazy drunk uncle ruining a holiday.
—Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 14 Oct. 2025
Since 2021, Spotify has offered an alternative app for kids to listen to music without ruining their parents recommendations.
—PC Magazine, 14 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ruining
Verb
-
See video … WATCH TOM HOMAN – With a secure border, the US is bankrupting cartels.—
,
FOXNews.com,
4 Sep. 2025
-
Yet either change could risk bankrupting the program.—
Nathaniel Weixel,
The Hill,
3 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
Continue reading … HISTORY HYPOCRITES – Hawley turns tables on reporter when asked if White House renovation is destroying history.—
,
FOXNews.com,
24 Oct. 2025
-
Saving Denji’s life, Pochita and the young man make a deal to fuse, imbuing him with the ability to turn parts of his body into Devil-destroying chainsaws.—
Jack Smart,
PEOPLE,
23 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
That history came to an end after wrecking crews tore down the wing’s two stories of offices and reception rooms last week.—
Darlene Superville,
Denver Post,
26 Oct. 2025
-
The big money takeover is wrecking college sports.—
,
FOXNews.com,
20 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
In the late seventies, heroin began ravaging Dublin’s inner-city projects.—
Ed Caesar,
New Yorker,
20 Oct. 2025
-
Hatred, spread through rhetoric, populism and the internet, acts like a virus, ravaging any healthy social organism and bringing, death, destruction and pain.—
Alejandro González Iñárritu,
Deadline,
15 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
On Monday, The Washington Post reported that his construction crews have begun demolishing the facade of the White House’s East Wing to build a ballroom.—
Michelle Goldberg,
Mercury News,
23 Oct. 2025
-
The White House is requiring at least some of the construction workers tasked with demolishing the East Wing to sign non-disclosure agreements barring them from discussing their work, according to a White House official and sources familiar with the project.—
Alexandra Hutzler,
ABC News,
23 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
That changed after Inter’s devastating 5–0 loss to Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League final — the worst defeat in the competition’s history.—
Jordan Greene,
PEOPLE,
20 Oct. 2025
-
Sol Price had relinquished his official leadership role, and Robert’s fifteen-year-old son had recently died of cancer, devastating the family.—
Molly Fischer,
New Yorker,
20 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Advertisement The past few years have seen record-shattering global sea surface temperatures, which helps strengthen storms.—
Simmone Shah,
Time,
28 Oct. 2025
-
Viewers are dropped into the aftermath of an unnamed personal conflict and must work out over the course of the runtime the stakes of the situation, a highwire act handled deftly by the actors whose tender performances provide the emotional impact of the film’s shattering final sequence.—
Christian Blauvelt,
IndieWire,
24 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
While some were able to escape by smashing windows and jumping out of the vehicle, which was carrying 44 passengers, others were fatally burned, the officer said.—
Gabrielle Rockson,
PEOPLE,
24 Oct. 2025
-
Once the Germans invaded their Soviet ally on June 22, 1941, smashing one division after another, the Soviets had to fight for their survival, and all thought of nuclear research was abandoned.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
23 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Ruining.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ruining. Accessed 29 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share