What context can I use each word in?
Learn when and how to use these words with these examples!
destroy
Example
The hurricane destroyed the entire town. [destroy: verb]
Example
The fire destroyed all of our belongings. [destroyed: past participle]
ruin
Example
The rain ruined our picnic plans. [ruined: past tense]
Example
His addiction to gambling ruined his life. [ruin: verb]
Good things to know
Which word is more common?
Destroy is less common than ruin in everyday language. Destroy is typically reserved for more severe or catastrophic situations, while ruin can be used in a wider range of contexts.
What’s the difference in the tone of formality between destroy and ruin?
Destroy is generally considered more formal than ruin, which can be used in both formal and informal contexts.
