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
: to become ruined
ruiner
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
4
a
: physical, moral, economic, or social collapse
b
archaic
: a falling down : collapse
from age to age … the crash of ruin fitfully resounds—
William Wordsworth
William Wordsworth5
: a cause of destruction
Synonyms
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 WebPaloma Chavez, Miami Herald, 5 Apr. 2024
Begin at the Dominican Monastery ruins scattered around the Hotel Casa Santo Domingo.
—Claire Boobbyer, Condé Nast Traveler, 4 Apr. 2024
Cloud cover threatened to ruin the expedition, but sunny skies prevailed on October 27.
—Yaakov Zinberg, Smithsonian Magazine, 4 Apr. 2024
Simply put, the idea that online dating is ruining the dating experience or has somehow been so commodified that it can’t be saved is silly.
—Bernard Kim, Fortune, 3 Apr. 2024
Collisions of tone and tempo tease the ear without being so harsh as to ruin the album’s utility as a playlist.
—Spencer Kornhaber, The Atlantic, 2 Apr. 2024
How can two people move forward without that awkwardness and discomfort that can, in essence, ruin the friendship?
—Victoria Uwumarogie, Essence, 2 Apr. 2024
First, oh no, how is this going to further ruin the Spotify UI?
—David Pierce, The Verge, 31 Mar. 2024
Baseball itself was nearly ruined a little over a century ago because of the Black Sox scandal involving eight Chicago White Sox players who were accused of conspiring with gamblers to lose the World Series on purpose.
—Harry Enten, CNN, 29 Mar. 2024
Brendan Rascius, Miami Herald, 5 Apr. 2024
After years of anti-Muslim pogroms, these issues came to a symbolic head in January, with Modi’s public inauguration of the Ram Mandir, a controversial Hindu temple built atop the ruins of the Babri Masjid, the mosque demolished by Hindu extremists in 1992.
—Siddhant Adlakha, TIME, 5 Apr. 2024
But by the time Simon Warrack, a British stonemason with a fascination for ancient ruins, stumbled upon the scene in 2007, all that remained of them were the four feet, still attached to pedestals.
—Stephanie Yang, Los Angeles Times, 3 Apr. 2024
Ukraine’s army of about one million soldiers is fighting the largest war in Europe since World War II, waged in muddy trenches or the ruins of cities in urban combat.
—Andrew E. Kramer, New York Times, 3 Apr. 2024
The bust is the latest in a long line of archaeological discoveries within the ruins of Philippi, a UNESCO World Heritage site in northeastern Greece.
—Sonja Anderson, Smithsonian Magazine, 3 Apr. 2024
Tulum has long been a favorite escape for Americans, with travelers drawn not just to the sunny Caribbean weather, paradisiacal beaches, and delectable eats, but also historical and natural wonders like the seaside Mayan ruins and crystal clear cenotes.
—Rachel Chang, Condé Nast Traveler, 27 Mar. 2024
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
Verb
However, for some, gambling is an addiction that can ruin lives and families.
—Paloma Chavez, Miami Herald, 5 Apr. 2024
Begin at the Dominican Monastery ruins scattered around the Hotel Casa Santo Domingo.
—Claire Boobbyer, Condé Nast Traveler, 4 Apr. 2024
Cloud cover threatened to ruin the expedition, but sunny skies prevailed on October 27.
—Yaakov Zinberg, Smithsonian Magazine, 4 Apr. 2024
Simply put, the idea that online dating is ruining the dating experience or has somehow been so commodified that it can’t be saved is silly.
—Bernard Kim, Fortune, 3 Apr. 2024
Collisions of tone and tempo tease the ear without being so harsh as to ruin the album’s utility as a playlist.
—Spencer Kornhaber, The Atlantic, 2 Apr. 2024
How can two people move forward without that awkwardness and discomfort that can, in essence, ruin the friendship?
—Victoria Uwumarogie, Essence, 2 Apr. 2024
First, oh no, how is this going to further ruin the Spotify UI?
—David Pierce, The Verge, 31 Mar. 2024
Baseball itself was nearly ruined a little over a century ago because of the Black Sox scandal involving eight Chicago White Sox players who were accused of conspiring with gamblers to lose the World Series on purpose.
—Harry Enten, CNN, 29 Mar. 2024
Noun
The ruins of an ancient fortress were recently discovered on a small island along the west coast of Ireland.
—Brendan Rascius, Miami Herald, 5 Apr. 2024
After years of anti-Muslim pogroms, these issues came to a symbolic head in January, with Modi’s public inauguration of the Ram Mandir, a controversial Hindu temple built atop the ruins of the Babri Masjid, the mosque demolished by Hindu extremists in 1992.
—Siddhant Adlakha, TIME, 5 Apr. 2024
But by the time Simon Warrack, a British stonemason with a fascination for ancient ruins, stumbled upon the scene in 2007, all that remained of them were the four feet, still attached to pedestals.
—Stephanie Yang, Los Angeles Times, 3 Apr. 2024
Ukraine’s army of about one million soldiers is fighting the largest war in Europe since World War II, waged in muddy trenches or the ruins of cities in urban combat.
—Andrew E. Kramer, New York Times, 3 Apr. 2024
The bust is the latest in a long line of archaeological discoveries within the ruins of Philippi, a UNESCO World Heritage site in northeastern Greece.
—Sonja Anderson, Smithsonian Magazine, 3 Apr. 2024
Tulum has long been a favorite escape for Americans, with travelers drawn not just to the sunny Caribbean weather, paradisiacal beaches, and delectable eats, but also historical and natural wonders like the seaside Mayan ruins and crystal clear cenotes.
—Rachel Chang, Condé Nast Traveler, 27 Mar. 2024
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
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
Phrases Containing ruin
Dictionary Entries Near ruin
Cite this Entry
“Ruin.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ruin. Accessed 16 Apr. 2024.
Copy Citation
Kids Definition
ruin
1 of 2 noun
ru·in
ˈrü-ən 
-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 verb1
: to reduce to ruins
2
a
: to damage beyond repair
b
ruiner
noun
More from Merriam-Webster on ruin
Nglish: Translation of ruin for Spanish Speakers
Britannica English: Translation of ruin for Arabic Speakers
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share