Word
ruinous
Phoneticsru·inous
US/ˈɹuənəs/
UK/ɹˈuːɪnəs/
Definition
adj. causing serious damage or costing so much money that it destroys everything. You use this to describe something that leads to total failure or loss.
adj. causing or tending to cause catastrophic destruction or total financial collapse. Often describes costs, effects, or consequences that lead to permanent failure.
Examples
“The high interest rates had a ruinous effect on the small business.”
“The legal battle proved ruinous for the family, eventually forcing them to sell their ancestral home to cover the costs.”
“Historians argue that the ruinous taxation policies of the late empire were a primary catalyst for the eventual collapse of central authority.”
Examples
simple
“The high interest rates had a ruinous effect on the small business.”
contextual
“The legal battle proved ruinous for the family, eventually forcing them to sell their ancestral home to cover the costs.”
complex
“Historians argue that the ruinous taxation policies of the late empire were a primary catalyst for the eventual collapse of central authority.”
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “ruinous” in context.
Verb
01. become ruinous
“Interest rates on the loan quickly became ruinous for the family.”
verb + adj
02. prove ruinous
“The decision to expand during a recession proved ruinous for the retailer.”
verb + adj
03. ruinous to
“The new tax policy was ruinous to small business owners.”
adj + prep
Adjective
04. financially ruinous
“A long-term court battle would be financially ruinous for the small firm.”
adv + adj
05. potentially ruinous
“The company faced potentially ruinous legal costs after the patent dispute.”
adv + adj
Noun
06. ruinous effect
“The drought had a ruinous effect on the local agricultural economy.”
adj + noun
07. ruinous expense
“Maintaining the historic estate became a ruinous expense for the heirs.”
adj + noun
08. ruinous war
“The country spent decades recovering from the ruinous war.”
adj + noun
09. at a ruinous cost
“Victory was achieved, but only at a ruinous cost to the nation's infrastructure.”
10. face ruinous competition
“Local shops are facing ruinous competition from global e-commerce giants.”
11. lead to ruinous consequences
“Ignoring the safety warnings could lead to ruinous consequences for the project.”
Usage
Commonly modifies nouns like 'cost', 'effect', 'impact', or 'debt'.
Real-World Examples
“The business model is now facing an existential crisis in the US as unsold companies pile up, leading to potentially ruinous consequences for the economy and employment.” “One of the most consequential errors occurred before construction even began. Westinghouse launched the project without a completed reactor design, a mistake so fundamental it borders on negligence, leading to ruinous cost overruns.” “Any company that hosts, distributes, services, or otherwise facilitates communist-controlled TikTok could face hundreds of billions of dollars of ruinous liability under the law, not just from DOJ, but also under securities law, shareholder lawsuits, and state AGs," he wrote on social media.” “The case for the Federal Reserve to spur a recession rests on the notion that only an increase in joblessness can avert a ruinous wage-price spiral.” Etymology
From Middle English ruynous, from Old French ruinos, ruineus, from Latin ruīnōsus. By surface analysis, ruin + -ous.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
VERB
ADJECTIVE
- 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.C1 AdvancedIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.7.0–8.0TOEFL 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: 5.0–5.595–113TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.945–990
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- C1 · Advanced
- Updated
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