ruin
To ruin something means to spoil it or break it so badly that it cannot be fixed.
Explanation at your level:
To ruin means to break something. If you drop your toy, you might ruin it. If you spill juice on your shirt, you ruin it. It means it is not good anymore.
When you ruin something, you spoil it. For example, if you have a picnic and it rains, the rain ruins your picnic. You cannot fix it, so you feel sad. It is a very common word for when things go wrong.
The verb ruin describes the act of damaging something so badly that it cannot be restored. We use it for physical objects, like a broken phone, but also for events. 'The loud noise ruined my concentration.' It is a strong word that shows disappointment.
Ruin is used to describe total destruction or the spoiling of an abstract state. It is often used in collocations like 'ruin one's reputation' or 'ruin the atmosphere.' It implies that the damage is significant and often irreversible, making it a useful word for expressing frustration or serious consequences.
In advanced English, ruin can be used to describe the systematic dismantling of something, such as a career or an economy. It carries a weight of finality. We might say, 'His gambling habits ruined him,' implying a total loss of status and wealth. It is a staple in literary and journalistic writing to describe the aftermath of catastrophic events.
At the mastery level, ruin is often used figuratively to discuss the decay of institutions or the erosion of values. It evokes a sense of tragic loss. Historically, it is linked to the concept of 'ruination,' a process of decline. Whether discussing the ruin of a civilization or the subtle ruin of a personal relationship, the word retains its power to signify the end of a previous, better state.
30초 단어
- Ruin means to destroy or spoil something.
- It is a transitive verb requiring an object.
- It can be used for physical objects or abstract concepts.
- The past tense is 'ruined'.
When we use the word ruin, we are talking about a significant negative change. It is a powerful word because it implies that whatever was there before is now gone or permanently damaged.
You might use this word when talking about physical items, like saying, 'The rain will ruin my new shoes.' However, it is just as common to use it for abstract ideas. For example, if you have a great plan for the weekend but it starts pouring rain, you might say, 'The weather ruined our plans.'
Think of ruin as the opposite of 'fix' or 'improve.' It is a strong verb that carries a sense of finality. Once something is ruined, it is rarely the same as it was before.
The word ruin has a long and interesting journey. It comes from the Latin word ruina, which means 'a collapse' or 'a falling down.' This makes sense when you think about ancient buildings falling into rubble.
It entered the English language through Old French in the 14th century. Originally, it was used primarily to describe the physical collapse of structures, like castles or walls. Over time, the meaning expanded to include abstract things like financial bankruptcy or the destruction of one's good name.
Interestingly, the word is related to the Latin verb ruere, which means 'to rush' or 'to fall violently.' This connection helps us understand why ruin feels so sudden and destructive—it captures that feeling of something falling apart in a rush.
Using ruin correctly depends on the context of your sentence. It is a very versatile verb that works in almost any register, from casual conversation to formal writing.
Commonly, we see it paired with nouns like plans, reputation, appetite, or surprise. For example, 'Don't ruin the surprise!' is a very common phrase used when someone almost reveals a secret gift.
In formal contexts, you might hear it regarding financial stability: 'The market crash ruined the company.' It is important to note that ruin is a transitive verb, meaning it usually needs an object. You don't just 'ruin'; you ruin something.
Idioms often use ruin to describe intense situations. Here are five common ones:
- Ruin someone's day: To do something that makes someone feel unhappy.
- Ruined for life: An exaggerated way to say you are so used to something good that nothing else will compare.
- Bring to ruin: To cause someone to lose all their money or status.
- Ruin the party: To be the person who makes everyone else feel uncomfortable or unhappy.
- Ruin one's chances: To do something that makes it impossible for you to succeed at a goal.
Ruin is a regular verb. Its past tense and past participle form is ruined. The present participle is ruining.
Pronunciation can be tricky for some learners. In British English, it is often pronounced /ˈruːɪn/, while in American English, it is /ˈruːɪn/. Some speakers might accidentally add an extra syllable, but it is strictly two syllables. It rhymes with words like truin (if it were a word) or sounds similar to the ending of bruin.
When using it in a sentence, it is almost always followed by a noun phrase. You rarely see it used without an object unless it is in the passive voice: 'The garden was ruined by the storm.'
Fun Fact
It shares a root with the word 'ruinous', which sounds like it could be a type of ruin, but it is actually the adjective form.
Pronunciation Guide
Starts with a long 'oo' sound, followed by a short 'in'.
Very similar to the UK version, clear 'oo' sound.
Common Errors
- Pronouncing it as one syllable
- Adding an extra 'y' sound (ru-yin)
- Misplacing the stress on the second syllable
Rhymes With
Difficulty Rating
easy
moderate
moderate
easy
What to Learn Next
Prerequisites
Learn Next
고급
Grammar to Know
Transitive Verbs
I ruined the cake.
Passive Voice
The cake was ruined.
Past Participles
It has been ruined.
Examples by Level
The rain ruined the game.
Rain made the game stop.
Subject + verb + object.
I ruined my shirt.
My shirt is dirty/torn.
Past tense.
Don't ruin it!
Keep it safe.
Imperative.
The dog ruined the cake.
The dog ate the cake.
Simple past.
Did you ruin the toy?
Is the toy broken?
Question form.
He ruined the paper.
The paper is torn.
Subject + verb + object.
She ruined the surprise.
She told the secret.
Subject + verb + object.
The mud ruined my shoes.
Shoes are dirty.
Simple past.
The loud music ruined my sleep.
His bad attitude ruined the meeting.
Don't let one mistake ruin your day.
The fire ruined the old house.
The salt ruined the soup.
I hope I didn't ruin your plans.
The storm ruined the crops.
She ruined her chances of winning.
The scandal ruined his political career.
Greed can ruin even the best of friendships.
The heavy rain ruined our camping trip.
I didn't mean to ruin the mood.
The company was ruined by poor management.
His reputation was ruined by the rumors.
Don't ruin your appetite before dinner.
The project was ruined by a lack of funding.
The construction noise ruined the peace and quiet of the neighborhood.
He felt that his past mistakes had ruined his future prospects.
The unexpected news ruined their celebratory dinner.
She was afraid that the truth would ruin their relationship.
The entire weekend was ruined by the constant arguments.
His arrogance eventually ruined his chance at a promotion.
The film was ruined by a terrible ending.
The chemicals had completely ruined the soil.
The economic crisis ruined the livelihoods of thousands of families.
His obsession with perfectionism ruined his creative process.
The architect's vision was ruined by the budget cuts.
She feared that the scandal would ruin her family's name forever.
The delicate balance of the ecosystem was ruined by pollution.
The sudden change in leadership ruined the company's morale.
His reputation was ruined beyond repair.
The experience was ruined by the lack of professionalism.
The once-great empire was eventually ruined by internal corruption.
His legacy was ruined by his later questionable actions.
The beautiful landscape was ruined by industrial development.
She felt that the tragedy had ruined her capacity for joy.
The integrity of the study was ruined by biased data.
The atmosphere was ruined by an underlying sense of tension.
He was ruined by his own hubris.
The historical site was ruined by centuries of neglect.
자주 쓰는 조합
Idioms & Expressions
"ruin one's day"
to make someone unhappy
The flat tire ruined my day.
casual"ruined for life"
permanently changed by an experience
After tasting that cake, I'm ruined for life!
casual"bring to ruin"
to cause someone to lose everything
His gambling brought him to ruin.
formal"ruin the party"
to be a killjoy
Don't be the one to ruin the party.
casual"go to ruin"
to fall into a state of decay
The old mansion has gone to ruin.
literaryEasily Confused
both mean to make something worse
spoil is usually for food or fun; ruin is for anything
The milk spoiled; the house was ruined.
both involve harm
damage is often repairable; ruin is usually not
The car was damaged, not ruined.
both mean destruction
wreck is usually for vehicles or physical accidents
He wrecked his bike.
both mean ending something
destroy is more sudden/violent
The bomb destroyed the bridge.
Sentence Patterns
Subject + ruin + noun
The rain ruined the day.
Subject + be + ruined + by + noun
The party was ruined by the noise.
Subject + ruin + one's + reputation
He ruined his reputation.
Subject + ruin + one's + chances
She ruined her chances of success.
Subject + ruin + the + atmosphere
His comment ruined the atmosphere.
어휘 가족
Nouns
Verbs
Adjectives
관련
How to Use It
8
Formality Scale
자주 하는 실수
Ruin is a transitive verb; it does not take 'to'.
You don't need 'down' with ruin.
Don't use 'was' with the active verb.
Ruin is the verb, not the noun here.
Ruin is not passive in this context.
Tips
Memory Palace Trick
Imagine a ruinous castle in your mind.
When Native Speakers Use It
Often used for plans or surprises.
Cultural Insight
Often associated with historical ruins.
Grammar Shortcut
Remember it is a regular verb.
Say It Right
Two syllables, not three.
Don't Make This Mistake
Don't add 'to' after ruin.
Did You Know?
It comes from the Latin word for falling.
Study Smart
Pair it with common nouns like 'plans'.
Register
Use 'devastate' for more formal writing.
Rhyme Check
Rhymes with 'bruin'.
Memorize It
Mnemonic
Ruin rhymes with 'ruin'—think of a 'ruined' castle.
Visual Association
Imagine a beautiful sandcastle being hit by a wave.
Word Web
챌린지
Write three sentences about things that can be ruined.
어원
Latin
Original meaning: a falling down
문화적 맥락
None, but can be a sensitive topic if discussing someone's personal life or financial ruin.
Used frequently in both casual and serious contexts.
Practice in Real Life
Real-World Contexts
at school
- ruin my grade
- ruin the project
- ruin the presentation
at work
- ruin the deal
- ruin the company
- ruin the reputation
travel
- ruin the trip
- ruin the view
- ruin the vacation
daily life
- ruin the plans
- ruin the surprise
- ruin the mood
Conversation Starters
"Have you ever had a trip ruined by bad weather?"
"What is the easiest way to ruin a surprise party?"
"Do you think a single mistake can ruin a career?"
"How do you fix something that has been ruined?"
"Can you think of a movie that was ruined by a bad ending?"
Journal Prompts
Describe a time something you planned was ruined.
Write about a historical ruin you would like to visit.
How do you feel when someone ruins your day?
Is it possible to recover from being 'ruined'?
자주 묻는 질문
8 질문It is both! It is a verb when you do the action, and a noun when you talk about the remains of something.
No, that is incorrect grammar.
Ruined.
ROO-in.
Yes, it implies significant damage.
Yes, you can ruin someone's life or reputation.
Restore or repair.
Yes, often regarding financial ruin.
셀프 테스트
The rain will ___ our picnic.
Rain spoils picnics.
Which word means to spoil something?
Ruin is the synonym for spoil.
Can you ruin a reputation?
Yes, a reputation can be damaged.
Word
뜻
These are synonym/antonym pairs.
Subject + verb + object.
What is the adjective form of ruin?
Ruinous is the correct adjective.
Is 'ruin' a regular verb?
Yes, it adds -ed for past tense.
The economy was ___ by the war.
Passive voice requires the past participle.
Which context is 'ruin' most formal?
Financial ruin is a formal collocation.
Subject + verb + object.
점수: /10
Summary
To ruin is to make something so bad that it cannot be fixed.
- Ruin means to destroy or spoil something.
- It is a transitive verb requiring an object.
- It can be used for physical objects or abstract concepts.
- The past tense is 'ruined'.
Memory Palace Trick
Imagine a ruinous castle in your mind.
When Native Speakers Use It
Often used for plans or surprises.
Cultural Insight
Often associated with historical ruins.
Grammar Shortcut
Remember it is a regular verb.
