ruined 1 of 2

adjective

as in done
facing certain defeat, disaster, or death your chances for a promotion were ruined the instance you started mouthing off to the boss

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ruined

2 of 2

verb

past tense of ruin
1
as in bankrupted
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

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in destroyed
to bring destruction to (something) through violent action tornadoes ruined a wide swath of the county

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3
as in demolished
to bring to a complete end the physical soundness, existence, or usefulness of a huge fire that ruined an entire city block

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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 ruined
Adjective
Sitting on the rim of his consciousness was always cataclysm, the muted whisper of a ruined world. — Literary Hub, 10 July 2026
Verb
Janice was disgusted; Mary was emotionally devastated and financially ruined. — Ben Taub, New Yorker, 12 Oct. 2026 Totally ruined by introducing too many plot lines that were pointless or opened up and left alone without closure. — David Hookstead Outkick, FOXNews.com, 12 Oct. 2026 On Monday, workers hauled out a 200-pound piece of equipment that was ruined by the saltwater and sand carried in on the high tides. — Alex Harris, Miami Herald, 6 Oct. 2026 The idea for her top was loosely based on an old vintage shirt that Satenstein accidentally threw into the dryer and ruined. — Irene Kim, Vogue, 6 Oct. 2026 As Vanderslice unwittingly contributed to the story with some quotes, not realizing the tone and direction of the article, his candidacy was derailed and his credibility ruined. — Jeffrey Sonnenfeld, Fortune, 1 Oct. 2026 The two mistakes at the end ruined an impressive comeback by Dak Prescott and the offense. — ABC News, 28 Sep. 2026 In a defense memo, Pattis characterizes Diamantis as a broken and financially ruined former politician and lawyer who at 70 might not survive a long prison sentence. — Edmund H. Mahony, Hartford Courant, 14 Sep. 2026 What could have easily ruined their experience instead became an unforgettable highlight of the trip. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 11 Sep. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ruined
  1. doomed
  2. bankrupted
  3. destroyed
  4. demolished
  5. sunk
  6. ravaged
  7. shattered
  8. finished
Adjective
  • The unfortunate crew of the doomed vessel were likely sailing to the west when disaster struck, the researchers wrote in a study about the wreck that was published earlier this year.
    — Adam Kovac, Scientific American, 15 Oct. 2026
  • If Sid weren’t on the blocks as a doomed trading piece, then Flyte would have a case as the person most egregiously wronged by Taverner’s mistakes.
    — Scott Tobias, Vulture, 14 Oct. 2026
Definition of doomed
Verb
  • Richard Stockton, a lawyer who signed the declaration was captured, starved, and nearly bankrupted by the British.
    — Joseph Andrew, Forbes.com, 4 July 2026
  • Most manufacturers were bankrupted by equipment failures and financial challenges, making the 1990s a tough time for wind power’s pioneers.
    — IEEE Spectrum, IEEE Spectrum, 15 June 2026
Definition of bankrupted
Verb
  • Firefighters battling a blaze that destroyed six homes in south Orange County can expect a bit of reprieve Saturday afternoon as Santa Ana winds begin to die down.
    — Hannah Fry, Los Angeles Times, 17 Oct. 2026
  • Its owners, a family of three, left for a cruise before the remnants of Tropical Storm Rachel destroyed their property.
    — Alicia Victoria Lozano, NBC news, 17 Oct. 2026
Definition of destroyed
Verb
  • That includes what else could get demolished or built, beyond the stadium and team headquarters.
    — Chris Higgins, Kansas City Star, 15 Oct. 2026
  • The island is the former home of a Renault factory, which was active for most of the 20th century and demolished in 2005.
    — News Desk, Artforum, 14 Oct. 2026
Definition of demolished
Adjective
  • Poor Stuart’s capable and patient efforts come to nothing, because Hal is in a snit and seems to be suffering an acute case of sunk cost fallacy-itis.
    — Sophie Brookover, Vulture, 17 Oct. 2026
  • The train is, of course, a classic example of the perennial perils of sunk costs; abandoning the line seems absurd (even to us) given how much money would be written off.
    — The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 20 Aug. 2026
Definition of sunk
Verb
  • London had been ravaged by plague since the summer of 1592, with high mortality rates in the city and suburbs meaning the playhouses were closed for business for twenty of the following twenty-two months.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 20 Oct. 2026
  • Swarms of police officers and ambulances racing to the grounds of a school ravaged by gunfire has become a familiar scene, and one that represents only the beginning of incalculable pain, loss and trauma.
    — Emma Tucker, CNN Money, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of ravaged
Verb
  • Multiple temperature records have been shattered, and an intense marine heat wave has been churning since last December — making our typical high tides even higher — El Niño notwithstanding.
    — Rosanna Xia, Los Angeles Times, 15 Oct. 2026
  • Business damaged by gunfire A bullet shattered the window of Tikal Cocina Café during the shooting.
    — Janay Reece, CBS News, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of shattered
Adjective
  • The yeast and bacteria in the starter don’t survive baking in meaningful numbers, so the finished bread doesn’t deliver live cultures to your gut.
    — Ryan Brennan, Kansas City Star, 20 Oct. 2026
  • The Horned Frogs also captured the Big 12 regular-season title and finished runner-up in the Big 12 Tournament.
    — Steven Johnson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 20 Oct. 2026
Definition of finished

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ruined
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Cite this Entry

“Ruined.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ruined. Accessed 22 Oct. 2026.

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