ruinous
gb/ɹˈuɪnəs/ us/ɹˈuɪnəs/
B2
Inglês
~ 9500
Aceções
0 aceções
adjective
formal
C1
property
1
causing severe damage or destruction
causing very serious harm or damage, sometimes destroying something completely over time.
Padrão de uso:
[something] is ruinous to [something]
Erro comum:
Learners sometimes confuse 'ruinous' with 'ruined'. 'Ruinous' describes something that causes great harm (a ruinous policy, a ruinous mistake), while 'ruined' describes something that has already been destroyed or badly damaged (a ruined city, a ruined cake). They also overuse it in casual speech, where 'very harmful' or 'terrible' may sound more natural.
Sinónimos
disastrous (Stresses a very bad result; slightly more general and a bit less formal than 'ruinous'.)
Antónimos
beneficial (Describes something that produces good, helpful effects instead of serious harm.)
Colocações
ruinous effects
|ruinous consequences
|ruinous policies
|ruinous decision
|prove ruinous
|ruinous to [something]
Temas
economy
|politics
|environment
|daily life
|nature
Exemplos
- Experts warned that cutting funding so quickly could be ruinous to the public health system.
- The war had a ruinous impact on the country’s economy and infrastructure.
- His refusal to adapt to new technology proved ruinous for the company.
- Intensive farming practices can be ruinous to local wildlife.
- Trying to hide the problem was a ruinous mistake for their reputation.
Exemplos para aprendentes
- Smoking can be ruinous to your health.
- A long drought was ruinous to the farmers.
- The new law may be ruinous for small shops.
- His anger was ruinous to his relationships.
- Bad online reviews were ruinous to the hotel’s business.
adjective
formal
B2
property
2
extremely expensive; financially destructive
so expensive that it can badly damage your money situation or even make you lose everything.
Padrão de uso:
[cost or price] is ruinous for [someone]
Erro comum:
Learners sometimes use 'ruinous' to mean simply 'very expensive' in everyday, light situations (e.g., a pricey coffee). In English, 'ruinous' normally suggests serious financial harm, not just something a bit overpriced.
Sinónimos
exorbitant (Focuses more narrowly on an unreasonably high price; 'ruinous' emphasizes the damaging effect on finances.)
Antónimos
affordable (Describes a price that people can pay without serious financial difficulty, the opposite of 'ruinous' cost.)
Colocações
ruinous cost
|ruinous price
|ruinous rent
|ruinous medical bills
|ruinous interest rates
|financially ruinous
Temas
economy
|money
|daily life
|finance
|business
Exemplos
- They faced ruinous medical bills after the accident.
- The interest on that credit card is ruinous for low‑income families.
- Many young people are trapped by ruinous student loan debt.
- The repairs came at a ruinous cost that nearly bankrupted the business.
- Living in the city center can be ruinous if you are on a modest salary.
Exemplos para aprendentes
- The hotel was nice, but the price was ruinous.
- He took a loan at a ruinous interest rate.
- Her illness led to ruinous health costs for the family.
- Paying this rent would be ruinous for me.
- The fine was ruinous for such a small company.
adjective
literary
C1
state
3
in a state of ruin
in very bad physical condition, broken or falling down, often about an old building.
Padrão de uso:
[building or structure] is in a ruinous state
Erro comum:
Learners may think this meaning is common in everyday speech. In modern English, people more often say 'falling down', 'run‑down', or 'in ruins'; 'ruinous' here is mostly written or literary.
Sinónimos
dilapidated (Very close in meaning but slightly more common in everyday description of old, badly kept buildings.)
Antónimos
well-maintained (Describes a building kept in good condition, the opposite of a 'ruinous' structure.)
Colocações
ruinous building
|ruinous state
|ruinous condition
|ruinous castle
|ruinous walls
|left in a ruinous state
Temas
architecture
|history
|travel
|housing
|core_vocabulary
Exemplos
- They camped beside a ruinous farmhouse on the edge of the field.
- The castle, once proud, now stood in a ruinous state above the village.
- Investors refused to buy the ruinous property without a full structural survey.
- A single ruinous tower remained of what had been a grand cathedral.
- Tourists wandered through the ruinous streets of the abandoned mining town.
Exemplos para aprendentes
- The old house was ruinous and empty.
- We walked past a ruinous church in the countryside.
- He bought a ruinous building and plans to fix it.
- Only a ruinous stone wall was left.
- The hotel is new, but the shops around it are ruinous.
Gramática
Forma de dicionário
ruinous
IPA
GB/ɹˈuɪnəs/
US/ɹˈuɪnəs/
Sílabas e acento
ru - in - ous (3 sílabas)
Stress on 1st syllable (ru)
Formas da palavra
Adjective
- Base: ruinous
Família de palavras
Expressões
at a ruinous rate
1/ˈæt ə ɹˈuɪnəs ɹˈeɪt/
fixed phrase
formal
happening dangerously fast or costly
happening very fast in a way that causes a lot of damage or costs a lot of money.
Exemplos
- The company was losing customers at a ruinous rate.
- Prices are rising at a ruinous rate for many families.
be ruinous to
1/bˈi ɹˈuɪnəs tə/
fixed phrase
formal
cause very serious harm to
to be very bad for something and cause great damage to it, possibly destroying it over time.
Exemplos
- Delaying action on climate change could be ruinous to future generations.
- Cutting training budgets may be ruinous to the long‑term success of the company.