So damaged, destroyed, or spoiled that something no longer works well or no longer has its original value, beauty, or pleasure.
Examples
The storm left the house ruined.
The cake was ruined when it fell on the floor.
A single spoiler ruined the movie for him.
The old castle is ruined but beautiful.
The wet phone was completely ruined.
Similar words
destroyed
wrecked
spoiled
damaged
devastated
broken
unusable
Devastated or financially harmed
adjective
everyday
neutral
Badly harmed in life, reputation, career, finances, or emotional well-being.
Examples
The scandal left his career ruined.
They were financially ruined after the lawsuit.
She felt ruined by the false accusation.
The failed harvest ruined many small farmers.
Years of debt had ruined the business.
Similar words
devastated
bankrupt
destroyed
broken
disgraced
impoverished
undone
Etymology
From ruin, which came into English through Old French from Latin ruina, connected with falling down or collapse. Ruined is the past tense and past participle of the verb ruin.
FAQ
What does ruined mean?
It means destroyed, spoiled, badly damaged, or seriously harmed.
Is ruined an adjective or a verb?
It can be an adjective, and it is also the past tense and past participle of the verb ruin.
What is the base verb of ruined?
The base verb is ruin.
Do you say ruined by or ruined from?
Ruined by is the usual pattern for the cause, as in ruined by rain.
Can a person be ruined?
Yes. A person can be financially, emotionally, socially, or professionally ruined.
What is a synonym for ruined?
Synonyms include destroyed, wrecked, spoiled, damaged, devastated, bankrupt, and broken.
How do you use ruined in a sentence?
For example: The storm left the house ruined.
Comments & contributions
Know this word from another angle? Add a correction, a nuance, or a usage note. New posts go public after a quick review.
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Crimson Octopus
Jul 13
my brother says his life is ruined when the wifi drops for 5 minutes lol, english is dramatic sometimes
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Copper Badger
Jul 10
For food I would separate these a little. Spoiled milk means it went bad. A ruined dinner might just be burned, too salty, dropped on the floor, whatever. "the milk is ruined" is understandable but sounds slightly off to me
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Steady Weasel
Jul 9
In British English you might hear "spoilt my evening" as well. Ruined my evening sounds a bit heavier to me, like the night was properly wrecked, not just less nice.
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Sleek Lemming
Jul 9
With old buildings the noun matters too. We visited the ruins, not we visited the ruined. But a ruined castle or ruined church is totally fine before the noun.
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Eager Pangolin
Jul 1
For movies and books, "ruined it for me" is the shape I hear most. A spoiler can ruin the ending for me, or one bad actor can ruin a show for me. dont translate the for too literally, it means my enjoyment is gone.