ruin
Other forms: ruined; ruins; ruining
To ruin means to wreck or destroy. If you're wearing a long dress, make sure your clumsy brother stays away from you. If he steps on it, it'll rip and be ruined.
Bad news always ruins your day and a guest's bad behavior can really ruin a party and all your fun! Be careful when adding salt to your food — too much will ruin it. Often you will see ruin used as a noun that means the state of ruin, the action that causes it or the destruction itself. If you are a ruin of your former self, you're in pretty bad shape. Use ruins for the remains of old castles and Roman structures.
Definitions of ruin
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an irrecoverable state of devastation and destruction“you have brought ruin on this entire family”
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synonyms:
ruination
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type of:
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desolation, devastation
the state of being decayed or destroyed
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desolation, devastation
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the process of becoming dilapidated
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synonyms:
dilapidation
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type of:
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decay
the process of gradually becoming inferior
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decay
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destruction achieved by causing something to be wrecked or ruined
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synonyms:
laying waste, ruination, ruining, wrecking
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type of:
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destruction, devastation
the termination of something by causing so much damage to it that it cannot be repaired or no longer exists
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destruction, devastation
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an event that results in destruction
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synonyms:
ruination
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types:
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desolation, devastation
an event that results in total destruction
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shipwreck
an irretrievable loss
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type of:
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demolition, destruction, wipeout
an event (or the result of an event) that completely destroys something
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desolation, devastation
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failure that results in a loss of position or reputation
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a ruined building
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destroy or cause to fail“This behavior will ruin your chances of winning the election”
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destroy completely; damage irreparably“You have ruined my car by pouring sugar in the tank!”“The tears ruined her make-up”
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synonyms:
destroy
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types:
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burn, burn down, fire
destroy by fire
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desolate, devastate, lay waste to, ravage, scourge, waste
cause extensive destruction or ruin utterly
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harry, ravage
make a pillaging or destructive raid on (a place), as in wartimes
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break
find a flaw in
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break, bust
ruin completely
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vandalise, vandalize
destroy wantonly, as through acts of vandalism
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do a job on
destroy completely or make ugly or useless
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subvert
overthrow or destroy completely
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get
overcome or destroy
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devour
destroy completely
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despoil, plunder, rape, spoil, violate
destroy and strip of its possession
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explode
destroy by exploding
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consume
destroy completely
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shipwreck
destroy a ship
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bust up, wrack, wreck
smash or break forcefully
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kick down, kick in
open violently
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wash out
wear or destroy by the force of water
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backfire
set a controlled fire to halt an advancing forest or prairie fire
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cremate
reduce to ashes
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torch
burn maliciously, as by arson
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scathe, scorch
destroy completely by or as if by fire
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break down
cause to fall or collapse
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key
vandalize a car by scratching the sides with a key
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reduce to ruins
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fall into ruin
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type of:
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crumble, decay, dilapidate
fall into decay or ruin
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crumble, decay, dilapidate
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reduce to bankruptcy
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type of:
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impoverish
make poor
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impoverish
Pronunciation
US
/ˈruɪn/
UK
/ˈruɪn/
DISCLAIMER: These example sentences appear in various news sources and books to reflect the usage of the word ‘ruin'.
Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Vocabulary.com or its editors.
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