Ruine vs. Ruin — Which is Correct Spelling?
By Tayyaba Rehman — Updated on March 26, 2024
"Ruine" is an incorrect spelling. The correct form is "Ruin," which refers to the decay or destruction of something.
Table of Contents
Which is correct: Ruine or Ruin
How to spell Ruin?
Ruine
Incorrect Spelling
Ruin
Correct Spelling
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Key Differences
To "ruin" is to "undo," both have four letters.
"Ruin" has the same number of letters as "wreck."
Think of "ruin" as "run" with an "i" — no extra "e" is needed.
Remember that ruins are remains; both are short.
A ruined structure lacks its former completeness, just as the word lacks the "e."
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How Do You Spell Ruin Correctly?
Incorrect: The ancient city lies in ruine, forgotten by time.
Correct: The ancient city lies in ruin, forgotten by time.
Incorrect: Her actions threatened to bring ruine to the entire project.
Correct: Her actions threatened to bring ruin to the entire project.
Incorrect: He feared his mistake would bring ruine to his reputation.
Correct: He feared his mistake would bring ruin to his reputation.
Incorrect: The castle was left in ruine after the battle.
Correct: The castle was left in ruin after the battle.
Incorrect: They watched as the storm brought ruine to the coastline.
Correct: They watched as the storm brought ruin to the coastline.
Ruin Definitions
The physical destruction or disintegration of something.
The castle is now a ruin.
The cause of someone's downfall.
Gambling was his ruin.
Financial failure or impoverishment.
Their decisions led to financial ruin.
To reduce to a state of decay or destruction.
Time has ruined many ancient structures.
The state of being physically destroyed, collapsed, or decayed
The castle fell into ruin.
The state of being extensively harmed or damaged
Our vacation plans are in ruins.
Poverty of bankruptcy
Their decision brought the bank to ruin.
Often ruins A destroyed, collapsed, or decayed building or other physical entity
The ruins of the old mill.
One that has been extensively damaged or harmed
He is a ruin of his former self.
A cause of destruction or irreparable harm or loss
Gambling will be his ruin.
To cause (a building, for example) to be in a destroyed, collapsed, or decayed state.
To harm or damage the quality or value of (something) irreparably
A bad diet ruined his health.
To harm or damage the enjoyment or experience of (something) greatly
Ruined the movie by talking throughout it.
Ruined the book by giving away the ending.
To reduce to poverty or bankruptcy
Bad loans ruined the banker.
The remains of a destroyed or dilapidated construction, such as a house or castle.
(uncountable) The state of being a ruin, destroyed or decayed.
The monastery has fallen into ruin.
(uncountable) Something that leads to serious trouble or destruction.
Gambling has been the ruin of many.
The act of ruining something.
(obsolete) A fall or tumble.
A change that destroys or defeats something; destruction; overthrow.
The ruin of a ship or an army;
The ruin of a constitution or a government;
The ruin of health or hopes
(uncountable) Complete financial loss; bankruptcy.
(transitive) To cause the fiscal ruin of; to bankrupt or drive out of business.
With all these purchases, you surely mean to ruin us!
To destroy or make something no longer usable.
He ruined his new white slacks by accidentally spilling oil on them.
To upset or overturn the plans or progress of, or to have a disastrous effect on something.
My car breaking down just as I was on the road ruined my vacation.
To make something less enjoyable or likeable.
I used to love that song, but being assaulted when that song was playing ruined the song for me.
To reveal the ending of (a story); to spoil.
(obsolete) To fall into a state of decay.
To seduce or debauch, and thus harm the social standing of.
The young libertine was notorious for ruining local girls.
The act of falling or tumbling down; fall.
Such a change of anything as destroys it, or entirely defeats its object, or unfits it for use; destruction; overthrow; as, the ruin of a ship or an army; the ruin of a constitution or a government; the ruin of health or hopes.
That which is fallen down and become worthless from injury or decay; as, his mind is a ruin; especially, in the plural, the remains of a destroyed, dilapidated, or desolate house, fortress, city, or the like.
The Veian and the Gabian towers shall fall,And one promiscuous ruin cover all;Nor, after length of years, a stone betrayThe place where once the very ruins lay.
The labor of a day will not build up a virtuous habit on the ruins of an old and vicious character.
The state of being dcayed, or of having become ruined or worthless; as, to be in ruins; to go to ruin.
That which promotes injury, decay, or destruction.
The errors of young men are the ruin of business.
To bring to ruin; to cause to fall to pieces and decay; to make to perish; to bring to destruction; to bring to poverty or bankruptcy; to impair seriously; to damage essentially; to overthrow.
This mortal house I'll ruin.
By thee raised, I ruin all my foes.
The eyes of other people are the eyes that ruin us.
By the fireside there are old men seated,Seeling ruined cities in the ashes.
To fall to ruins; to go to ruin; to become decayed or dilapidated; to perish.
Though he his house of polished marble build,Yet shall it ruin like the moth's frail cell.
If we are idle, and disturb the industrious in their business, we shall ruin the faster.
An irrecoverable state of devastation and destruction;
You have brought ruin on this entire family
A ruined building;
They explored several Roman ruins
The process of becoming dilapidated
An event that results in destruction
Failure that results in a loss of position or reputation
Destruction achieved by wrecking something
Destroy completely; damage irreparably;
You have ruined my car by pouring sugar in the tank!
The tears ruined her make-up
Destroy or cause to fail;
This behavior will ruin your chances of winning the election
Reduce to bankruptcy;
My daughter's fancy wedding is going to break me!
The slump in the financial markets smashed him
Reduce to ruins;
The country lay ruined after the war
Deprive of virginity;
This dirty old man deflowered several young girls in the village
Fall into ruin
To destroy or severely harm something.
The rain ruined the parade.
Ruin Meaning in a Sentence
Economic policies led to the ruin of the country's economy.
The fire left nothing but ruin in its wake.
Stories of pirates and buried treasure led many to ruin.
The earthquake reduced the entire town to ruin.
The ruins of the ancient temple still stand today.
The house has fallen into ruin over the years.
His addiction brought him to ruin.
The garden was once beautiful, but now it's a ruin.
They tried to save the building, but it was beyond ruin.
The company was on the brink of ruin before the new CEO took over.
A single mistake in judgment led to his ruin.
The city was a ruin after the war, but its people vowed to rebuild.
Mismanagement can quickly lead a business to ruin.
The ruin of the family's reputation was swift after the scandal.
Financial ruin is a reality for many after a market crash.
The film depicted a post-apocalyptic world filled with ruin.
His quest for power led him to ruin and isolation.
He was fascinated by the beauty of decay and ruin.
Ruin Idioms & Phrases
Lay to ruin
To destroy or make something become dilapidated.
The invading army left the city laid to ruin.
Road to ruin
A course of action that leads to disaster or destruction.
Ignoring the warnings, they continued down the road to ruin.
Common Curiosities
What is the root word of Ruin?
Derived from Latin "ruina."
Why is it called Ruin?
From Latin "ruina" meaning "a collapse," symbolizing destruction or decay.
Which vowel is used before Ruin?
Depends on context; there's no specific preceding vowel.
What is the pronunciation of Ruin?
/ˈruː.ɪn/
What is the verb form of Ruin?
Ruin (e.g., "This will ruin the event").
Which preposition is used with Ruin?
Depends on context; "in" or "to" can be common (e.g., "in ruins" or "lead to ruin").
What is the singular form of Ruin?
Ruin.
Is Ruin a negative or positive word?
Generally negative.
Is Ruin an adverb?
No.
Is Ruin an abstract noun?
It can be, especially when referring to someone's downfall.
Is Ruin a countable noun?
Yes, when referring to a physical structure (e.g., ruins).
Which conjunction is used with Ruin?
Conjunction use depends on context.
Which article is used with Ruin?
Both "a" and "the" can be used.
Is Ruin a noun or adjective?
Ruin can be both a noun and a verb.
What is the plural form of Ruin?
Ruins.
What part of speech is Ruin?
Noun and verb.
What is the first form of Ruin?
Ruin.
What is another term for Ruin?
Destruction or downfall.
Which determiner is used with Ruin?
Determiners such as "this," "that," "my" can be used.
Is Ruin a vowel or consonant?
It's a word containing both vowels and consonants.
Is Ruin a collective noun?
No.
Is the Ruin term a metaphor?
It can be used metaphorically, as in "the ruin of his career."
How many syllables are in Ruin?
Two syllables.
What is the second form of Ruin?
Ruined.
How is Ruin used in a sentence?
His actions could ruin our plans.
Is the word Ruin imperative?
Not typically.
How do we divide Ruin into syllables?
Ru-in.
What is a stressed syllable in Ruin?
The first syllable, "Ru."
What is the opposite of Ruin?
Preservation or construction.
What is the third form of Ruin?
Ruined.
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Written by
Tayyaba RehmanTayyaba Rehman is a distinguished writer, currently serving as a primary contributor to askdifference.com. As a researcher in semantics and etymology, Tayyaba's passion for the complexity of languages and their distinctions has found a perfect home on the platform. Tayyaba delves into the intricacies of language, distinguishing between commonly confused words and phrases, thereby providing clarity for readers worldwide.
