Definition

1. Noun:

   • Complete destruction or collapse: The state of being destroyed, decayed, or fallen apart, often beyond repair.
   • The cause of such destruction: A person, event, or action that causes a downfall or collapse.
   • The remains of a destroyed structure: The physical remnants of something that has been destroyed, especially ancient buildings.
   • A state of financial or moral collapse: A condition of severe loss, bankruptcy, or disgrace.

2. Verb:

   • To destroy or damage severely: To cause something to be completely destroyed or to fall into a state of decay.
   • To cause financial or social downfall: To reduce someone to a state of bankruptcy, poverty, or disgrace.
   • To spoil or damage irreparably: To severely harm the quality, value, or state of something, making it useless or ineffective.

Examples of Usage

• Noun:

  • The abandoned castle was a picturesque ruin. (The abandoned castle was a picturesque destroyed building.)
  • His addiction was the ruin of his career. (His addiction was the cause of his career's collapse.)
  • The archaeologists studied the ancient ruins. (The archaeologists studied the ancient destroyed remains.)

• Verb:

  • The heavy rain will ruin the picnic. (The heavy rain will spoil the picnic.)
  • Poor investments ruined him financially. (Poor investments caused his financial downfall.)
  • The scandal ruined the politician's reputation. (The scandal destroyed the politician's reputation.)

Advanced Usage

• "to be/lie in ruins": to be completely destroyed or in a state of collapse.

  • After the earthquake, the city lay in ruins. (After the earthquake, the city was completely destroyed.)

• "to go to rack and ruin": to fall into a state of disrepair or decay through neglect.

  • The old mansion went to rack and ruin after the family moved away. (The old mansion fell into decay after the family moved away.)

• "to be the ruin of someone/something": to be the cause of someone's or something's destruction or downfall.

  • That deal was the ruin of the company. (That deal was the cause of the company's destruction.)

Variants and Related Words

• Ruination (n): The action or process of bringing about ruin; destruction.
  • The war led to the ruination of the economy.
• Ruined (adj): Having been irreparably damaged or destroyed.
  • They walked through the ruined village.
• Ruinous (adj): Causing or likely to cause ruin; disastrous.
  • The project had ruinous costs.

Synonyms

• Destroy: To end the existence of something by damaging or attacking it.
• Wreck: To destroy or severely damage something.
• Devastate: To destroy or ruin something completely.
• Bankrupt: To reduce to a state of financial ruin.

Related Phrasal Verbs

• Ruin something for someone: To spoil an experience or opportunity for someone.
  • His loud complaining ruined the movie for everyone else. (His loud complaining spoiled the movie experience for everyone else.)

Related Idioms

• "A fool and his money are soon parted": This implies that unwise spending leads to financial ruin.
  • He bought another expensive car he can't afford. A fool and his money are soon parted. (His unwise spending will lead to his financial ruin.)

Noun

1. destruction achieved by causing something to be wrecked or ruined
2. failure that results in a loss of position or reputation
3. an event that results in destruction
4. the process of becoming dilapidated
5. a ruined building
   • they explored several Roman ruins
6. an irrecoverable state of devastation and destruction
   • you have brought ruin on this entire family

Verb

1. fall into ruin
2. deprive of virginity
   • This dirty old man deflowered several young girls in the village
3. reduce to ruins
   • The country lay ruined after the war
4. reduce to bankruptcy
   • My daughter's fancy wedding is going to break me!
   • The slump in the financial markets smashed him
5. destroy or cause to fail
   • This behavior will ruin your chances of winning the election
6. destroy completely; damage irreparably
   • You have ruined my car by pouring sugar in the tank!
   • The tears ruined her make-up