Ruin

/ˈruːɪn/

Meaning & Definition

noun

The physical collapse or destruction of a structure or object.

The ancient ruins of the castle still attract many tourists every year.

The state of being destroyed or severely damaged.

Years of neglect led to the ruin of the historic site.

A situation in which someone loses everything they have; financial or personal disaster.

His reckless gambling led to his financial ruin.

verb

To destroy or damage something severely.

The flood ruined many homes in the area.

To cause someone to lose their social position or self-respect.

The scandal could ruin her career.

To spoil something completely; to make it unusable or irreparable.

The spilled paint ruined the beautiful canvas.

Middle English, from Old French 'ruine', from Latin 'ruina', meaning 'a falling down, collapse'.

in ruins

Completely destroyed or damaged.

ruin someone's day

To spoil or negatively affect someone's day.

ruin a reputation

To damage or destroy one's good standing.

destroy

To cause the destruction of something.

collapse

To fall down or give way.

devastate

To cause severe and overwhelming shock or grief.

To mess something up extremely.

He totally ruined that project with his mistakes.

To spoil fun or enjoyment.

Don't ruin my fun by complaining!