ruin
ruins, the remains of a building, city, etc., that has been destroyed or that is in disrepair or a state of decay: We visited the ruins of ancient Greece.
a destroyed or decayed building, town, etc.
a fallen, wrecked, or decayed condition: The building fell to ruin.
the downfall, decay, or destruction of anything.
the complete loss of health, means, position, hope, or the like.
something that causes a downfall or destruction; blight: Alcohol was his ruin.
the downfall of a person; undoing: Fate decreed the ruin of Oedipus.
a person as the wreck of their former self; ravaged individual.
the act of causing destruction or a downfall.
to damage, spoil, or injure (a thing) irretrievably: Not only was the burned stew inedible, but I had absolutely ruined one of my favorite pots.
Older Use. to induce (a woman) to surrender her virginity; deflower.
to fall into decay; fall to pieces.
to come to downfall or destruction.
Origin of ruin
1synonym study For ruin
Other words for ruin
Opposites for ruin
Other words from ruin
- ru·in·a·ble, adjective
- ru·in·er, noun
- half-ruined, adjective
- non·ru·in·a·ble, adjective
- self-ruin, noun
- self-ruined, adjective
- un·ru·in·a·ble, adjective
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024
How to use ruin in a sentence
So perfect that we wonder if we should risk ruining it by asking for yet another take.
‘The Comeback’ Finale: Give Lisa Kudrow All of the Awards | Kevin Fallon | December 29, 2014 | THE DAILY BEAST“I tell them they are ruining their life, but I will not refuse to do it,” Bensoussan said.
That is, TFA is neither a lever for dramatically improving or ruining U.S. public education.
Are we in danger, in the rush to legislate, of ruining the moment?
Does California’s College Rape Bill Go Too Far In Regulating Sex? | Emma Woolf | June 23, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTOn day two, a flash flood occurred, damaging much of the filmmaking equipment and ruining the appearance of the location.
Doomed Passion Projects of Hollywood: The Lost Classics of Stanley Kubrick, Alfred Hitchcock, and More | Marlow Stern | March 28, 2014 | THE DAILY BEAST
I don't despair of seeing you one day at the back of her box, and of bearing that you are ruining yourself for her.
Camille (La Dame aux Camilias) | Alexandre Dumas, filsIt anticipates the climax of the description, besides ruining the scansion of the line.
Chaucer's Works, Volume 1 (of 7) -- Romaunt of the Rose; Minor Poems | Geoffrey ChaucerWe are not allowed to have hearts, under penalty of being hooted down and of ruining our credit.
Camille (La Dame aux Camilias) | Alexandre Dumas, filsWhat is the real difference between stealing money and ruining something that cost money?
The Story of the Big Front Door | Mary Finley LeonardThese have been near ruining the Spaniards several times, and obliged them to apply for re-enforcements from Biscay and Senora.
The Expeditions of Zebulon Montgomery Pike, Volume II (of 3) | Elliott Coues
British Dictionary definitions for ruin
/ (ˈruːɪn) /
destroyed or decayed building or town
the state or condition of being destroyed or decayed
loss of wealth, position, etc, or something that causes such loss; downfall
something that is severely damaged: his life was a ruin
a person who has suffered a downfall, bankruptcy, etc
loss of value or usefulness
archaic loss of her virginity by a woman outside marriage
(tr) to bring to ruin; destroy
(tr) to injure or spoil: the town has been ruined with tower blocks
(intr) archaic, or poetic to fall into ruins; collapse
Origin of ruin
1Derived forms of ruin
- ruinable, adjective
- ruiner, noun
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Other Idioms and Phrases with ruin
see rack and ruin.
The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
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