ruins 1 of 2

present tense third-person singular of ruin
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

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2
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

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ruins

2 of 2

noun

plural of ruin

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
  • Command centers and weapons storage facilities, once the backbone of its operational capabilities, have been reduced to rubble.
    Ross Rosenfeld, Newsweek, 26 Feb. 2025
  • Those that have returned have been shocked by the devastation: their houses and belongings were mostly reduced to rubble and the signs of a humanitarian crisis are apparent on every corner.
    Camilla Alcini, ABC News, 25 Feb. 2025
Noun
  • Even if the garage door is open, don't start a vehicle if the garage is attached to a home. Furnace and fireplaces: Keep fireplaces clean and in good condition, make sure no debris is blocking the vents or chimney.
    Sara Moniuszko, CBS News, 27 Feb. 2025
  • Residents who live near local landfills say the wildfire debris should be sent to hazardous waste landfills instead.
    Tony Briscoe, Los Angeles Times, 26 Feb. 2025
Noun
  • Jennifer shared photos of the helicopter wreckage as well as her husband in the hospital.
    Victoria Edel, People.com, 24 Feb. 2025
  • The road-cutters often target the same chokepoints, striking vehicle after vehicle and creating traffic-impeding piles of wreckage.
    David Axe, Forbes, 24 Feb. 2025
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.

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Cite this Entry

“Ruins.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ruins. Accessed 12 Mar. 2025.

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