26984 words

ruin

14 definitions • 25 examples
1
to spoil or destroy something completely:

Examples:

Huge modern hotels have ruined this once unspoilt coastline.
ruin someone's chance Her injury ruined her chances of winning the race.
2
to cause a person or company to lose all their or its money or their or its good reputation:

Examples:

If there's a scandal I'll be ruined!
3
the process or state of being spoiled or destroyed:

Examples:

ruin of The car accident meant the ruin of all her hopes.
fall into ruin They let the palace fall into ruin.
4
a situation in which a person or company has lost all their money or their reputation:

Examples:

on the edge/brink/verge of ruin Many companies are on the edge/brink/verge of ruin.
Alcohol was my ruin (= the thing that spoiled my life)
5
the broken parts that are left of an ancient building or town:

Examples:

We visited a Roman ruin.
the ruins of the ancient city of Carthage
6
the broken parts that are left of a building or town that has been destroyed by bombs, fire, etc.:

Examples:

They live in the worst of the city's bombed-out ruins.
Nine bodies lie among the smoking ruins.
7
(of a building or city) to be extremely badly damaged so that most of it has fallen down:

Examples:

lie in ruins The town lay in ruins after years of bombing.
8
to be in an extremely bad state:

Examples:

The economy was in ruins after the war.
9
to spoil or destroy something:

Examples:

It would be a shame to ruin such a beautiful place.
That guy isn’t going to ruin my life.
10
to spoil something severely or destroy it:

Examples:

Huge modern hotels are ruining this once unspoilt coastline.
11
to cause a person or company to lose all their money or their reputation:

Examples:

If there's a scandal, I'll be ruined!
12
the loss of all your money, your business, or your reputation:

Examples:

Many workers are one health catastrophe away from financial ruin.
the brink/edge/verge of ruin
13
a place, building, etc. that is in ruins has been extremely badly damaged:

Examples:

The showroom was in ruins after the flood.
14
to have failed or got into an extremely bad state:

Examples:

The economy was in ruins after the war.
He lied about the company's finances, and now his career is in ruins.

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