Be more careful. Rushing through things is going to ruin your work.
Source: tatoeba (19728)
Ruin
Synonyms for "ruin" (668 found)
Ranked by relevance and common usage.
Closest matches (134)
Noun(29 words)
abrogateabuseafterglowafterimageancient manuscriptannihilateantiqueantiquityarchaismartifactassaultatomizeatrophyattackbackbafflebalancebalkbanebankrupt
Show 73 more words
bankruptcybarbarizebatterbeatbeat all hollowbeat hollowbeatingbeggarbeldambereavementbestbetraybilkbitchblastblightbloodbathblue ruinbollix upbotchbravebreakbreak upbreakdownbreakupbring to ruinbrutalizebuffalobuggerburnbustbutcherbuttbutt endcalamitycandle endscarcasscarnagecarry oncave paintingchaffchallengecheckmatecircumventclean outcollapsecollisioncomedowncompromisecondemnconfoundconfrontconfusionconqueringconquestconsumeconsumptioncontravenecorruptcorruptingcorruptioncostcountercounteractcountermandcounterworkcrashcronecrosscrumblingcrushcursedamage
Strong matches (200)
Noun(23 words)
dammingdeathdeathblowsdecimatingdefacingdemolishdemolitionderelictiondestroydestroyingdestructiondestructivenessdilapidationdisasterdoomdoomingdoomsdownfallsfuckfucks
Show 3 more words
damndamnationdashdead lossdeal destructiondeathdeathblowdebacledebasedebasementdebasingdebauchdebitdebrisdecadencedecapitatedecaydeceivedecimatedecimation
Show 125 more words
declensiondeclinedecrepitudedefacedefeatdefiledefilementdefilingdeflorationdeflowerdefloweringdefydegeneracydegeneratedegenerationdegradationdegradingdemolishdenialdenudationdepletedepredatedepredationdeprivationdesecratedesolatedesolationdespoildespoilmentdespoliationdestroydestroyerdestructiondeteriorationdetrimentdetritusdevastatedevastationdevolutiondevourdilapidatedisabledisappointdiscomfitdisconcertdiscountenancediscreditdisfiguredishdishonordishonoringdisintegrationdismantledisorganizationdispossessiondisrepairdisruptdisruptiondissolutiondissolvedisturbdivestmentdo indododoomdotarddownfalldowngradedraindrawdrubdrubbingdynamiteeludeendengorgeeolithevilexpensefag endfailurefallfatefilingsfixflattenflawfluffflummoxfoilfold upforceforfeitforfeiturefossilfoulfragmentsfrustratefuddy-duddyget the better ofgingo ongobblegobble upgutgut with firehackhaghammerharmhashhavochecatombhidehidingholdoverholocausthors de combathulkhurthusksimpairimpoverishincinerateinjury
Verb(29 words)
dasheddashingdecimateddeflowerdegrade habitatsdesolateddesolatesdesolatingdespoileddestroy artdestroy documentsdestroy lifedestroyeddestroysdestructdestructeddestructingdestructsdevastatesdisfigured
Show 9 more words
Adjective(3 words)
Related words (334)
injusticekillknock the chockslambastelambastinglatherlatheringlay in ruinslay wastelead astrayleavingsleftoverslicklickingliquidationlootloserlosinglosing streakloss
Show 206 more words
louse upmaimmanglemarmasterymaulmere wreckmessmess upmezzolithmicrolithmischiefmishandlemisleadmuckmugmurdermutilatenaughtnemesisneolithnervous wrecknonplusnullifyodds and endsoffscouringsold fogyold geezerortsoutclassoutdooutfightoutgeneraloutmaneuveroutpointoutrageoutrunoutsailoutshineovercomingovershadowoverthrowoverturnoverwhelmpaleolithparingspauperpauperizeperditionperplexpervertpetrificationpetrified forestpetrified woodpetroglyphpillageplateaulithplay havoc withplay hob withpoisonprivationprostratepull downpulverizepunctureputqueerquietusrageragsramprampagerantraperattletrapravageraveravishrazerebutrefuserelicrelicsreliquiaeremainderremainsremnantresidueresiduumrestriotroachroarrobberyroutrub outrubbishrubbleruinateruinationruinsrumpsabotagesacksacrificesapsavagesawdustscotchscouringsscrapsscrewscrew upscuttleseduceseducingseductionsettleshadowshamblesshattershavingsshipwreckshootsinkskeletonskinskin aliveslaughtersmashsoilsow chaosspikespoilspoliatespoliationstainstand in the waystonewallstormstrawstrippingstubblestumpstymiesubdualsubduingsubjugationsubversionsubvertsullysurvivalswallow upsweepingstaking awaytarnishteartear aroundtear downterrorizethrashthrashingthrow into disorderthwarttotal losstracetrashtrimtrimmingtriumphtriumph overtrouncetrouncinguglifyunbuildundermineundoundoingunleash destructionunleash the hurricaneunmakeupheaveuprootupsetvandalismvandalizevanquishmentvaporizevestigeviolatevitiatevitiatingvitiationwastewaterloowhipwhippingwipe outwiping outwitchworstwrackwrack and ruinwreak havocwreckwreckage
Verb(36 words)
Noun(64 words)
knackerlaying wastemanglesmarmarsmassacremeaning destructionmessmessesmuckmurdermurderingmurdersnapalmingnightfallnukesnukingpauperizingpaupersqueering
Show 44 more words
queersrapesravagesravagingremainsremnantsruiningscuppersshambleshatteringshipwreckingshipwrecksshredsmearsmithereenssoil one's reputationspoilspoilagespoilingspoilsswatteringtailspintainttattertatterstearing uptorpedotorpedoestotaltrashesundercutundoingsunfit to eatunmakingvandalvandalsvestigeswharfwipeoutwreckwreckagewreckingwreckszorch
Adjective(8 words)
Choosing the right synonym
- Closest matches in this entry: destroy, downfall, ruination, abrogate, abuse.
- Sentence evidence is available for ruin, so synonym choice can be checked against real usage rather than a flat word list.
- Ranking signals come from wiktionary, wordnet, opengloss, derived_reverse, and related lexical sources.
Synonym selection checklist
- Match the part of speech before comparing meanings.
- Check whether the synonym changes intensity, formality, or emotional tone.
- Read the replacement inside the full sentence, not just beside "ruin".
- Prefer the clearest word over the most unusual word when writing for speed or comprehension.
When not to replace "ruin"
Keep "ruin" when the sentence already sounds natural, when a synonym would add unintended emphasis, or when readers need the most familiar wording. A synonym should clarify or sharpen the message, not simply make the sentence look more varied.
If two options seem close, choose the one that best matches the audience and purpose of the sentence.
Replacement workflow
1. Preserve meaning
Choose a synonym only if it keeps the core idea of "ruin" intact in the sentence you are editing.
2. Tune tone
Check whether the replacement sounds more formal, casual, emotional, technical, or forceful than the original word.
3. Re-read context
Read the full sentence after the swap. Keep the synonym only when the sentence becomes clearer or more precise.
Review note: Synonym lists are ranked with lexical data and reviewed for practical writing value. Use the comparison notes, sentence evidence, and source labels together; a high-ranking synonym can still be wrong when the audience, register, or grammar changes.
Final fit check
After choosing a replacement for "ruin", read the sentence once for meaning and once for rhythm. The best synonym should feel natural in the full sentence, not only accurate in a word list.
If the synonym makes the sentence slower, vaguer, or more dramatic than intended, keep "ruin" or choose a simpler alternative from the closest-match group.
Related word relations
OpenGloss and ConceptNet supply richer edges like generalizations, collocations, and derivations.
More general
43 entriesShowing 16 of 43 words.
More specific
17 entriesShowing 16 of 17 words.
Collocations
12 entriesInflections
3 entriesDerivations
5 entriesSample sentences
33 total sentences available.
A fussy referee can ruin a bout.
Source: tatoeba (20232)
Nuclear weapons will bring about nothing but the ruin of mankind.
Source: tatoeba (21721)
Too much drinking will make your life a ruin.
Source: tatoeba (27122)
Showing 4 of 33 available sentences.
Common questions
What are the closest synonyms for "ruin"?
Closest matches include destroy, downfall, ruination, abrogate, abuse.
How should I check whether a synonym fits "ruin"?
Compare the replacement against real sentence context. This entry includes sample sentences so you can check tone, grammar, and meaning before swapping words.