Word
ruin
Phoneticsru·in, stress on the first syllable
US/ˈɹuən/
UK/ɹˈuːɪn/
Definitions
01to spoil or destroy
B1 · Intermediate
v. to spoil something so much that it is no longer useful or enjoyable.
v. to damage something irreparably or to diminish its quality to the point of worthlessness.
“The sudden rain ruined our plans for a picnic in the park.”
“The scandal threatened to ruin his professional reputation, undoing decades of meticulous networking and public service.”
02to bankrupt
B2 · Upper Intermediate
v. to make someone or a company lose all their money.
v. to cause total financial failure or bankruptcy. Transitive use.
“The high cost of the lawsuit almost ruined the small family business.”
“Hyperinflation and the collapse of the banking sector effectively ruined thousands of middle-class families overnight.”
Synonyms
Antonyms
03old buildings
B1 · Intermediate Plural noun
n. the parts of a building that remain after it has been destroyed or has become very old.
n. the remains of a building, city, or structure that has suffered collapse or decay. Often used in the plural.
“We spent the afternoon exploring the ruins of the ancient castle.”
“The archaeological team spent months excavating the Roman ruins, uncovering mosaics that had been buried for nearly two millennia.”
04state of destruction
B2 · Upper Intermediate Uncountable noun
n. a state of being destroyed or having lost everything, especially money.
n. the state of being decayed or destroyed; often refers to financial or social collapse.
Español:ruina
“The gambler's addiction led his family to financial ruin.”
“After the war, the city lay in ruin, with essential infrastructure completely severed and the population displaced.”
Synonyms
Antonyms
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “ruin” in context.
Verb
01. ruin the appetite for dinner
“Don't eat those cookies now, or you will ruin your appetite for dinner.”
verb + noun + prep + noun
02. ruin the chance of success
“Making such a basic error could ruin your chance of success in the competition.”
verb + noun + of + noun
Noun
03. ancient ruins of the temple
“We spent the afternoon exploring the ancient ruins of the temple in the jungle.”
adj + noun + of + noun
04. ruin of the old castle
“The ivy-covered ruin of the old castle stood high on the hill overlooking the village.”
noun + of + adj + noun
Preposition
05. in ruins
“After the earthquake, the historic center of the city lay in ruins.”
prep + noun
Adverb
06. completely ruin the surprise
“He accidentally mentioned the party, which completely ruined the surprise for his sister.”
adv + verb + noun
07. financially ruin the company
“The massive lawsuit threatened to financially ruin the company within a few months.”
adv + verb + noun
08. utterly ruin the reputation
“The scandal served to utterly ruin the reputation of the local politician.”
adv + verb + noun
Real-World Examples
“As Selena, an illustrator, put it, a single mean message "would ruin" their week.” Etymology
From Middle English ruyne, ruine, from Old French ruine, from Latin ruīna (“overthrow, ruin”), from ruō (“to fall down, tumble, sink in ruin, rush”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
VERB
Idioms
01. rack and ruin
02. wrack and ruin
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Frequency
- Common
- Level
- B2 · Upper IntermediateOxford
- Updated
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QR code
englishreference.com/q/ruin
Traducciones: Kaikki.org (Wiktionary), CC BY-SA 4.0