ruin

Meaning

Noun

1. (countable, in-plural, sometimes) The remains of a destroyed or dilapidated construction, such as a house or castle.
2. (uncountable) The state of being a ruin, destroyed or decayed.
3. (uncountable) Something that leads to serious trouble or destruction.
4. (countable, uncountable) The act of ruining something.
5. (countable, obsolete, uncountable) A fall or tumble.
6. (countable, uncountable) A change that destroys or defeats something; destruction; overthrow.
7. (uncountable) Complete financial loss; bankruptcy.

Verb

1. (transitive) To cause the fiscal ruin of; to bankrupt or drive out of business.
2. To destroy or render something no longer usable or operable.
3. To upset or overturn the plans or progress of, or to have a disastrous effect on something.
4. To make something less enjoyable or likeable.
5. To reveal the ending of (a story); to spoil.
6. (obsolete) To fall into a state of decay.
7. (historical, transitive) To seduce or debauch, and thus harm the social standing of.

Synonyms

destroy

destruction

spoil

wreck

demolish

damage

collapse

downfall

loss

annihilate

break

devastation

decay

devastate

ruination

disaster

perdition

waste

desolation

fall

ravage

corrupt

calamity

mar

overthrow

injury

annihilation

defeat

catastrophe

harm

havoc

blight

mangle

decline

destruct

dash

💨

impair

dilapidation

death

💀

blast

make a mess of

smash

deflower

lay waste

kill

🔪🩸👤

bring to ruin

quash

botch

crash

abolish

Translations

ruine

ruina

rovina

rovinare

ruiner

Ruine

détruire

arruinar

ruinieren

ruína

zerstören

Ruin

distruggere

verwoesten

Pronounced as (IPA)

/ˈɹuː.ɪn/

Etymology

From Middle English ruyne, ruine, from Old French ruine, from Latin ruīna (“overthrow, ruin”), from ruō (“I fall down, tumble, sink in ruin, rush”).