ruin
ruins, the remains of a building, city, etc., that has been destroyed or that is in disrepair or a state of decay: We visited the ruins of ancient Greece.
a destroyed or decayed building, town, etc.
a fallen, wrecked, or decayed condition: The building fell to ruin.
the downfall, decay, or destruction of anything.
the complete loss of health, means, position, hope, or the like.
something that causes a downfall or destruction; blight: Alcohol was his ruin.
the downfall of a person; undoing: Fate decreed the ruin of Oedipus.
a person as the wreck of their former self; ravaged individual.
the act of causing destruction or a downfall.
to damage, spoil, or injure (a thing) irretrievably: Not only was the burned stew inedible, but I had absolutely ruined one of my favorite pots.
Older Use. to induce (a woman) to surrender her virginity; deflower.
to fall into decay; fall to pieces.
to come to downfall or destruction.
Origin of ruin
1synonym study For ruin
Other words for ruin
Opposites for ruin
Other words from ruin
- ru·in·a·ble, adjective
- ru·in·er, noun
- half-ruined, adjective
- non·ru·in·a·ble, adjective
- self-ruin, noun
- self-ruined, adjective
- un·ru·in·a·ble, adjective
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024
British Dictionary definitions for ruin
/ (ˈruːɪn) /
destroyed or decayed building or town
the state or condition of being destroyed or decayed
loss of wealth, position, etc, or something that causes such loss; downfall
something that is severely damaged: his life was a ruin
a person who has suffered a downfall, bankruptcy, etc
loss of value or usefulness
archaic loss of her virginity by a woman outside marriage
(tr) to bring to ruin; destroy
(tr) to injure or spoil: the town has been ruined with tower blocks
(intr) archaic, or poetic to fall into ruins; collapse
Origin of ruin
1Derived forms of ruin
- ruinable, adjective
- ruiner, noun
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Other Idioms and Phrases with ruin
see rack and ruin.
The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
Browse