ruin

1.verbtransitiveB1

Definition

To cause something to become worthless, useless, or no longer enjoyable through harm or damage — like heavy rain spoiling a day out, or a cooking mistake making a meal inedible.

Example

A sudden downpour ruined the outdoor wedding ceremony that Esme had spent months planning.

ruin + event/occasion: common pattern for spoiling planned events

Min left the pan on the stove too long and completely ruined the pasta sauce.

completely ruined: intensifier pattern

Common collocations

completely ruin
totally ruin
ruin everything
ruin a plan
ruin a day
ruin an event
ruin someone's chances

Synonyms

spoil
Softer than 'ruin'; suggests something is made less enjoyable or less good, but not completely destroyed.
destroy
Stronger and more final; implies total annihilation with nothing left.
wreck
Suggests violent or sudden damage, often to vehicles or structures, but also used for plans and hopes.

Antonyms

save
To prevent something from being spoiled or damaged.
protect
To keep something safe from harm.

Grammar Patterns

ruin + noun (object)

be ruined by + noun

completely/totally ruin + noun

Usage Note

Can be applied to both concrete objects (food, clothes, machinery) and abstract things (plans, events, experiences). The adverb 'completely' or 'totally' often intensifies the verb to emphasise that nothing can be saved.

Common Mistakes

The storm ruined my phone, but I got it fixed at a shop.

The storm completely ruined my phone; I had to buy a new one.

If it was repaired, it wasn't ruined. 'Ruin' implies permanent or irreparable damage.

2.verbtransitiveB2

Definition

To strip a person or organisation of their money, social position, or good name so completely that they cannot recover — for instance, a failed investment that drains a family's savings, or a scandal that destroys a public figure's career.

Example

The failed restaurant venture ruined Sahil financially and forced him to sell his house.

financially ruined: common adverb collocation

That one scandalous newspaper article completely ruined the senator's reputation among voters.

ruin + reputation/career: abstract damage pattern

Common collocations

financially ruined
ruin someone financially
ruin a business
ruin a reputation
ruin a career
be ruined by scandal

Synonyms

bankrupt
Specifically legal/financial; means being declared unable to pay debts.
impoverish
Formal; means to make very poor without necessarily implying legal bankruptcy.

Antonyms

enrich
To make someone wealthier.
establish
To build someone's reputation or position.

Grammar Patterns

ruin + person/company

be financially ruined

ruin someone's reputation/career

Usage Note

This sense focuses specifically on financial or social consequences. Unlike sense 1 (which can apply to a single ruined meal or outing), this sense implies a lasting, life-changing loss. The passive form 'be ruined' is very common when describing the victim of events.

Common Mistakes

I burnt the toast and ruined myself.

I burnt the toast and ruined breakfast.

Sense 1 for minor mistakes; sense 2 only for serious financial or social damage.

Idioms

ruin your chances (of something)

idiom

To destroy the possibility of achieving something, especially through a mistake or bad behaviour.

Ari knew that arriving late for the interview would ruin his chances of getting the job.

The player's injury just before the final match ruined the team's chances of winning the championship.

come to ruin

idiom

To gradually become destroyed, damaged, or worthless, usually over a long period of neglect.

Grandfather's old farm came to ruin after he became too ill to take care of it.

Without proper maintenance, the historic theatre slowly came to ruin over several decades.

1.nounB2

Definition

The way something becomes worthless or non-functional through destruction or decay — the point at which its value, quality, or function is completely lost.

Example

The ruin of the old forest began when the logging company moved into the area.

the ruin of + noun: common possessive-type pattern

Years of neglect and poor management brought the once-thriving factory to ruin.

bring [something] to ruin: causative pattern

Common collocations

fall into ruin
bring to ruin
lead to ruin
end in ruin
the ruin of
complete ruin

Synonyms

destruction
More general; can be sudden or deliberate, while 'ruin' often implies gradual decay or collapse.
collapse
Focuses on the act of falling down or failing, often suddenly.
decay
Emphasises natural, gradual deterioration, often from neglect.

Antonyms

preservation
The act of keeping something in good condition.
restoration
The process of returning something to its original good condition.

Grammar Patterns

the ruin of [something]

lead to ruin

end in ruin

Usage Note

Usually uncountable. Common in fixed phrases like 'fall into ruin', 'bring to ruin', 'lead to ruin'. These patterns emphasise a gradual process rather than a sudden event. Do not confuse with 'in ruins' (sense 4).

Common Mistakes

The building fell into a ruin.

The building fell into ruin.

In this sense, 'ruin' is uncountable and does not take 'a'.

2.nounB2

Definition

A condition where a person or business has suffered a total loss of wealth, position, or honour and cannot recover from it.

Example

Gambling was the ruin of Nia's uncle — he lost every penny saved over thirty years.

[something] was the ruin of [someone]: causative pattern

The company faced complete financial ruin after the lawsuit awarded millions in damages.

face financial ruin: common verb + adjective collocation

Common collocations

financial ruin
face ruin
spell ruin
lead to ruin
the ruin of
economic ruin

Synonyms

bankruptcy
A specific legal status of being unable to pay debts; more technical than 'ruin'.
collapse
Can describe financial failure but also physical or structural failure.
downfall
Often implies a dramatic fall from a high position, especially of a powerful person.

Antonyms

prosperity
The state of being successful and having enough money.
success
Achieving wealth, respect, or desired outcomes.

Grammar Patterns

[be] the ruin of [someone/company]

face ruin

financial ruin

Usage Note

Commonly appears in economic and business contexts. 'Financial ruin' is a very frequent collocation. The phrase 'the ruin of [someone/something]' can point to a specific cause of the collapse, not just the state itself.

Common Mistakes

He lost some money but it wasn't a financial ruin.

He lost some money but it wasn't financial ruin.

'Ruin' in this sense is uncountable; do not use 'a'.

3.nounB1

Definition

The broken parts or fragments that remain of a building, city, or other structure after it has been severely damaged or has fallen into decay over time — especially ancient or historic structures.

Example

Sivan and Lauren visited the ruins of a Roman temple while travelling in southern Turkey.

the ruins of [place]: most common pattern for historical sites

The old castle has stood in ruins on the hill since wartime bombing.

stand in ruins: state-describing pattern

Common collocations

the ruins of
in ruins
lie in ruins
ancient ruins
Roman ruins
stone ruins
the ruins of a castle
city in ruins

Synonyms

remains
More neutral; can refer to any leftover parts, not just broken structures.
debris
Scattered broken pieces after a disaster; less structured than 'ruins'.
wreckage
Usually refers to destroyed vehicles or aircraft, not buildings.

Antonyms

construction
The process of building something new.
intact structure
A building that is still whole and undamaged.

Grammar Patterns

the ruins of [building/city]

[building] lies in ruins

[building] is in ruins

Usage Note

Almost always used in the plural form 'ruins' when referring to physical remains. The singular 'ruin' is rare for this sense and usually appears in fixed expressions like 'a ruin' (meaning a single ruined building). 'In ruins' describes the state of a structure that is badly damaged.

Common Mistakes

We visited the ruin of an ancient church.

We visited the ruins of an ancient church.

Even for a single building, the plural 'ruins' is standard.

4.nounB2

Definition

A state of being in an extremely bad, broken, or hopeless condition — used for buildings, cities, plans, relationships, or people's lives that have been completely devastated.

Example

After the divorce, her personal life was in ruins and she started over from nothing.

in ruins: metaphorical use for non-physical things

The earthquake left the entire coastal city in ruins, with thousands of people left homeless.

leave [something] in ruins: causative result pattern

Common collocations

in ruins
lie in ruins
in ruins
left in ruins
be in ruins
lay in ruins

Synonyms

devastated
Adjective describing the emotional or physical impact; can apply to both people and places.
destroyed
More final and absolute; suggests nothing can be recovered.
shattered
Often used for abstract things like hopes, dreams, lives; implies fragmentation.

Antonyms

flourishing
Growing or developing successfully.
intact
Whole and undamaged.

Grammar Patterns

in ruins

lie in ruins

be in ruins

Usage Note

This sense is best understood as a state, not a thing. It always appears in fixed prepositional phrases like 'in ruins', 'into ruins', 'lay in ruins'. Unlike sense 3, this can apply to non-physical things: relationships, plans, careers, hopes. Do not use 'ruins' as a standalone noun in this sense.

Common Mistakes

My career is ruins after the mistake.

My career is in ruins after the mistake.

The 'in' preposition is required for this sense.

Word family

ruins
noun (plural)B1
ruined
adjectiveB1
ruinous
adjectiveC1
ruinously
adverbC1

Synonym discussion

Sense: verb/1

These six words all describe making something worse, but they differ in degree and scope. 'Damage' is the weakest — it means to harm something without necessarily making it unusable (a dented car door is damaged, not ruined). 'Spoil' is also relatively gentle; food can spoil, and plans can be spoiled, but the damage is often fixable or temporary. 'Ruin' is stronger: it implies permanent loss of value, quality, or function — you cannot fix a ruined cake or a ruined reputation. 'Wreck' suggests violent, sudden destruction, especially of vehicles or structures. 'Destroy' is the strongest and most final — it means to put something out of existence completely. 'Devastate' is similar to 'destroy' but carries a strong emotional weight, especially for people and places. For example: a hailstorm might damage your car (a few dents); a flood might ruin your car (engine destroyed, beyond repair); a fire might destroy your car (nothing left). Use 'ruin' for situations where the thing still physically exists but has lost its usefulness or value.

ruin ↗destroy ↗damage ↗spoil ↗wreck ↗devastate ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

financial ruin
economic ruin
ruin of a building
ruins of a city
ancient ruins
Roman ruins

Adverbs

Phrases

bring to ruin
fall into ruin
lead to ruin
end in ruin
be in ruins
lie in ruins
reduce to ruins

Prepositions

in ruins
into ruin
to ruin

Etymology

LatinOld FrenchEnglish

The word 'ruin' comes from the Latin noun 'ruina', meaning a collapse, a falling down, or a tumbling. This Latin word came from the verb 'ruere', meaning 'to rush, fall, or collapse'. The word entered English through Old French 'ruine' during the 14th century. The physical sense of a collapsed building appears early in English, and the broader figurative sense — a ruined reputation, ruined plans — developed naturally by extension. The idea of a sudden or violent fall has stayed at the heart of the word's meaning for over six centuries.

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ruin

ruin — verb

1. To cause something to become worthless, useless, or no longer enjoyable through

Grammar Patterns

Usage Note

Common Mistakes

2. To strip a person or organisation of their money, social position, or good name

Grammar Patterns

Usage Note

Common Mistakes

ruin your chances (of something)

come to ruin

ruin — noun

1. The way something becomes worthless or non-functional through destruction or dec

Grammar Patterns

Usage Note

Common Mistakes

2. A condition where a person or business has suffered a total loss of wealth, posi

Grammar Patterns

Usage Note

Common Mistakes

3. The broken parts or fragments that remain of a building, city, or other structur

Grammar Patterns

Usage Note

Common Mistakes

4. A state of being in an extremely bad, broken, or hopeless condition — used for b

Grammar Patterns

Usage Note

Common Mistakes

Word family

Synonym discussion

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

Prepositions

Etymology

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