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
  • Development not only disturbs or destroys the soil, but wipes out habitat.
    Carl R. Gold, Baltimore Sun, 30 Mar. 2025
  • First, allowing utilities to own generation destroys the competitive market.
    Mary Beth Tung, Baltimore Sun, 27 Mar. 2025
Noun
  • How '9-1-1' moves on after Bobby's death: Tears, anger, and surprise returns Angela Bassett thought her '9-1-1' character would be killed off In the laundry room, Athena finds Donnie and Graham trapped under rubble.
    Randall Colburn, EW.com, 16 May 2025
  • Neighbor Derek Keating ran into the home and attempted to rescue his neighbor, who was trapped under the rubble as gas was leaking.
    Michael Dorgan, FOXNews.com, 21 May 2025
Noun
  • Fortunately, the lighter rainfall levels have decreased the risk of a debris flow taking place in the Eaton and Palisades fire burn scars, a possibility forecasters warned of Monday.
    Clara Harter, Los Angeles Times, 4 June 2025
  • Remove brush and debris piles from around the home.
    Brayden Garcia, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 3 June 2025
Noun
  • Sparks fly from the wreckage like shooting stars falling from heaven.
    Amanda Whiting, Vulture, 20 May 2025
  • Kyffin Simpson flipped over during Fast Friday, with Colton Herta went airborne during Saturday's qualifying. 2025 INDY 500 ODDS: KYLE LARSON DROPS ON BOARD AFTER QUALIFYING 21ST McLaughlin was able to emerge from the wreckage and appeared to avoid any major injuries.
    Chantz Martin, FOXNews.com, 18 May 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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“Ruins.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ruins. Accessed 7 Jun. 2025.

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