Ruin — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

verb noun /ˈrü-ən/ ru·in

Meaning & Definition of Ruin

Ruin (verb)

  1. to damage irreparably
  2. bankrupt, impoverish
  3. to cause to lose respect, honor, social status, etc.

Ruin (noun)

  1. the state of being ruined —archaic except in plural
  2. the remains of something destroyed —usually used in plural
  3. a ruined building, person, or object

Ruin (verb) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. to cause to lose one's fortune and become unable to pay one's debts

    "after he was ruined by the Great Chicago Fire of 1871, the industrialist was forced to sell his mansion and start all over again"

    similar: bankrupt, break, bust
    related: beggar, impoverish, pauperize, reduce, straiten, clean (out), wipe out
    near: enrich, richen

  2. to bring destruction to (something) through violent action

    "tornadoes ruined a wide swath of the county"

    similar: destroy, devastate, ravage, scourge
    related: despoil, foray, harry, loot, maraud, pillage, plunder, sack, strip, annihilate, desolate, eradicate, expunge, extinguish, extirpate, nuke, obliterate, rub out, shatter, smash, total, vaporize, waste, wipe out, wrack, wreck, decimate, mow, demolish, raze, crush, overpower, overrun, overthrow, overwhelm
    near: recondition, recover, redeem, rehabilitate, restore, fix, mend, patch, repair, revamp

  3. to bring to a complete end the physical soundness, existence, or usefulness of

    "a huge fire that ruined an entire city block"

    similar: annihilate, cream, decimate, demolish, desolate, destroy, devastate, do in, extinguish, nuke, pull down, pulverize, raze, rub out, shatter, smash, tear down, total, vaporize, waste, wrack, wreck
    related: beat, best, clobber, conquer, crush, defeat, drub, lick, master, overbear, overcome, overmatch, prevail (over), rout, scotch, skunk, subdue, surmount, thrash, trim, triumph (over), trounce, wallop, whip, win (against), blast, blow up, break, cripple, damage, deface, deteriorate, disfigure, disintegrate, dissolve, dynamite, harm, impair, injure, mangle, mar, mutilate, spoil, vitiate, erode, scour, sweep (away), wash out, wear (away), dilapidate, disassemble, dismantle, gut, take down, unbuild, undo, unmake, blot out, efface, eradicate, expunge, exterminate, extirpate, liquidate, obliterate, remove, root (out), snuff (out), stamp (out), wipe out, despoil, havoc, loot, pillage, plunder, ravage, sack, trample, trash, vandalize, assassinate, butcher, cut down, dispatch, execute, fell, kill, kill off, massacre, mow (down), murder, slaughter, slay, take out, zap
    opposite: build, construct, erect, put up, raise, rear, set up
    near: doctor, fix, mend, patch, recondition, repair, revamp, create, invent, assemble, fabricate, fashion, forge, form, frame, make, manufacture, mold, produce, shape, bring about, constitute, establish, father, found, institute, organize, conserve, preserve, protect, save, rebuild, reconstruct, remodel, renovate, restore

Ruin (noun) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. the state or fact of being rendered nonexistent, physically unsound, or useless

    "a vicious bombardment that left the building in ruins"

    similar: annihilation, decimation, demolishment, demolition, desolation, destruction, devastation, extermination, extinction, havoc, loss, mincemeat, obliteration, ruination, wastage, wreckage
    related: depredation, despoilment, despoliation, breakup, collapse, disintegration, dissolution, assassination, execution, killing, massacre, slaughter, dismantlement, effacement, eradication
    opposite: building, construction, erection, raising
    near: rescue, salvage, salvation, saving, conservation, preservation, protection, reclamation, reconstruction, re-creation, refurbishment, regeneracy, remodeling, renovation, restoration

  2. the portion or bits of something left over or behind after it has been destroyed

    "the ruins of an abandoned abbey"

    similar: ashes, debris, detritus, flotsam, remains, residue, rubble, wreck, wreckage
    related: jetsam, leavings, remnant, chaff, deadwood, dross, dust, garbage, junk, litter, refuse, riffraff, rubbish, scrap, trash, waste

  3. the inability to pay one's debts

    "the family faces ruin if the chief breadwinner doesn't find another job very soon"

    similar: bankruptcy, failure, insolvency
    related: Chapter 11

  4. something that is the cause of one's ultimate failure or loss of life

    "the politician's eventual ruin would be a sexual indiscretion"

    similar: death, destruction, downfall, ruination, undoing, kiss of death
    related: bane, curse, torment, Achilles' heel, tragic flaw

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Ruin

The most common words with a similar meaning to Ruin:

bankrupt, break, bust, destroy, devastate, ravage, scourge, annihilate, cream, decimate, demolish, desolate, do in, extinguish, nuke, pull down, pulverize, raze, rub out, shatter, smash, tear down, total, vaporize, waste, wrack, wreck, annihilation, decimation, demolishment, demolition, desolation, destruction, devastation, extermination, extinction, havoc, loss, mincemeat, obliteration

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Ruin

Words with the opposite meaning of Ruin:

build, construct, erect, put up, raise, rear, set up, building, construction, erection, raising

Related Words for Ruin

beggar, impoverish, pauperize, reduce, straiten, clean (out), wipe out, despoil, foray, harry, loot, maraud, pillage, plunder, sack, strip, eradicate, expunge, extirpate, obliterate, mow, crush, overpower, overrun, overthrow, overwhelm, beat, best, clobber, conquer

Near Antonyms of Ruin

enrich, richen, recondition, recover, redeem, rehabilitate, restore, fix, mend, patch, repair, revamp, doctor, create, invent, assemble, fabricate, fashion, forge, form, frame, make, manufacture, mold, produce, shape, bring about, constitute, establish, father

Word Forms of Ruin

Inflections: ruined, ruining, ruins

Derived words: ruiner (noun)

Origin & Etymology of Ruin

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

First known use: 1572t

Vocabulary Lists & Topics for Ruin

Words & Phrases Containing Ruin

go to rack and ruin

Frequently Asked Questions about Ruin

What does "Ruin" mean?

"Ruin" means to damage irreparably. As an a verb and a noun, it is defined as: to damage irreparably. It has 7 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Ruin"?

Other words for "Ruin" include bankrupt, break, bust, destroy, devastate, ravage, scourge and annihilate. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Ruin" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Ruin"?

There are 197 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Ruin". Common alternatives include bankrupt, break, bust, destroy, devastate, ravage, scourge, annihilate, cream and decimate.

What is the opposite of "Ruin"?

Antonyms of "Ruin" include build, construct, erect, put up, raise, rear, set up and building. Near antonyms include enrich, richen, recondition and recover.

How do you use "Ruin" in a sentence?

Examples of "Ruin" in a sentence: "after he was ruined by the Great Chicago Fire of 1871, the industrialist was forced to sell his mansion and start all over again"; "tornadoes ruined a wide swath of the county"; "a huge fire that ruined an entire city block".

Is "Ruin" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Ruin" can be used as a verb and a noun, depending on the context.

Is "Ruin" useful for IELTS, TOEFL, and other English exams?

As a B2-level word, "Ruin" is typical of Cambridge B2 First (FCE), IELTS band 5.5–6.5, TOEFL iBT 72–94, PTE Academic 59–75, TOEIC Listening & Reading 785+.

How do you pronounce "Ruin"?

"Ruin" is pronounced /ˈrü-ən/ and divided into syllables as ru·in.