ENGLISH
REFERENCE

ruined

adj.
B1 Intermediate US //ˈɹuənd// UK //ɹˈuːɪnd// ru·ined Slang

adj. completely spoiled or destroyed so that it is no longer useful or beautiful. You use this when something you liked is now broken or a situation has gone very wrong.

adj. reduced to a state of decay, collapse, or complete loss of value. Often functions as a participial adjective describing the result of a destructive process.


SIMPLE

The heavy rain ruined my new shoes.

CONTEXTUAL

The surprise party was ruined when the guest of honor arrived an hour earlier than expected.

COMPLEX

The once-grand estate stood ruined and overgrown, a haunting reminder of the family's former wealth before the economic collapse of the previous decade.

Synonyms
Usage

Commonly used as a predicative adjective after 'be' or 'get'.

Pitfall

The rain was ruined my hairThe rain ruined my hairLearners often use 'ruined' with a 'be' verb when they mean the active past tense 'ruined'.

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