ruin

1 of 2

verb

ru·​in ˈrü-ən How to pronounce ruin (audio)
-ˌin;
ˈrün
ruined ˈrü-ənd How to pronounce ruin (audio)
-ˌind;
ˈründ,
dialectal
ˈrü-ənt How to pronounce ruin (audio)
-ˌint;
ˈrünt
; ruining; ruins

transitive verb

1
a
: to damage irreparably
b
: bankrupt, impoverish
ruined by stock speculation
2
: to subject to frustration, failure, or disaster
will ruin your chances of promotion
3
: to reduce to ruins : devastate

intransitive verb

: to become ruined
ruiner noun

ruin

2 of 2

noun

1
a
: the state of being ruined
archaic except in plural
the city lay in ruins
b
: the remains of something destroyed
usually used in plural
the ruins of an ancient temple
the ruins of his life
2
: a ruined building, person, or object
3
a
: the action of destroying, laying waste, or wrecking
b
4
a
: physical, moral, economic, or social collapse
b
archaic : a falling down : collapse
from age to age … the crash of ruin fitfully resoundsWilliam Wordsworth
5
: a cause of destruction

Examples of ruin in a Sentence

Verb The bad weather ruined the party. I ruined the sauce by adding too much garlic. His low test scores ruined his chances of getting into a good school. Poor customer service ruined the company's reputation. He was ruined by debt. The scandal ruined the mayor. Noun The incident led to the ruin of their relationship. The abandoned town had gone to ruin. Don't let the house your grandfather built fall into ruin. The castle is now a ruin. The drought brought economic ruin to local farmers. Her drug addiction brought her to the brink of ruin.
Recent Examples on the Web
Verb
Capote, played brilliantly with equal parts vulnerable and savage by Tom Hollander descends into drink and darkness when his writing irretrievably ruins his social swirl and closest friendships. Vogue, 21 Mar. 2024 Available in toddler and big kid sizes, the hoodie is preshrunk, so it won't get ruined in the wash. Maya Polton, Parents, 18 Mar. 2024 Alternative methods for creating closeness are imperative to not allowing sleep divorce to ruin your relationship. Keyaira Boone, Essence, 16 Mar. 2024 In closing arguments, Lehman acknowledged the horrors that occurred on Nov. 30, 2021 — that lives were tragically ended and other lives ruined. Tresa Baldas, Detroit Free Press, 15 Mar. 2024 Some of Wiig’s most memorable recurring characters, Michaels says, rested on the vaguest wisp of an idea, like Surprised Sue, an excitable woman who can’t keep herself from giddily ruining surprises. Rebecca Keegan, The Hollywood Reporter, 14 Mar. 2024 This is the same hollow anti-patriotism that ruined Dunkirk (the only Nolan film set in his native country since his debut, Following). Armond White, National Review, 13 Mar. 2024 In an industry weighed down by manufactured personas and premature record deals primed to ruin futures, authenticity can be hard to find. Spin Contributor, SPIN, 12 Mar. 2024 However, for some, gambling is an addiction that can ruin lives and families. Olivia Lloyd, Miami Herald, 8 Mar. 2024
Noun
But the potential for psychological manipulation and financial ruin is always simmering in the direct-sales stew. Jessica Winter, The New Yorker, 20 Mar. 2024 While the long, warm days are perfect to spend by the crystal blue waters of the Mediterranean Sea, travelers who want a little more substance to their vacation can head inland to experience the island's charming towns, rustic cuisine, and ancient ruins. Jamie Spain, Condé Nast Traveler, 18 Mar. 2024 The next day, after Picasso saw photos of corpses amid the ruins of Guernica in the French dailies, his mind was made up. Sebastian Smee, Washington Post, 15 Mar. 2024 Aerial images from the scene showed smoking ruins, with the structure reduced to rubble and some large pieces lodged in trees above. Pilar Arias, Fox News, 13 Mar. 2024 Sitting in a windswept crater 12,000 feet above sea level, Bolivia’s de facto capital is home to skyscrapers and millennia-old ruins. Javier Rodríguez-Camacho, SPIN, 7 Mar. 2024 But in the absence of fairy dust, the true magic of Ever After can be found in the authentic romance between Cinderella (Drew Barrymore) and Prince Henry (Dougray Scott), who fall in love perusing libraries, walking among ruins, and playing rock-paper-scissors at gypsy feasts. EW.com, 4 Mar. 2024 Tucked in the northwestern corner of the reserve, these small ruins are easily navigable and often devoid of visitors. Meagan Drillinger, Travel + Leisure, 3 Mar. 2024 The ruins of American invention have been recently resurrected in a former textile mill in Wilmington, Delaware. Nicola Twilley, The New Yorker, 12 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'ruin.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English ruine, from Anglo-French, from Latin ruina, from ruere to rush headlong, fall, collapse

First Known Use

Verb

1572, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 3

Noun

12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 4b

Time Traveler
The first known use of ruin was in the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near ruin

Cite this Entry

“Ruin.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ruin. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

ruin

1 of 2 noun
ru·​in ˈrü-ən How to pronounce ruin (audio)
-ˌin
1
: complete collapse or destruction
2
: the remains of something destroyed
usually used in plural
the ruins of a city

ruin

2 of 2 verb
1
: to reduce to ruins
2
a
: to damage beyond repair
ruiner noun

More from Merriam-Webster on ruin

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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