Ruin vs. Wreck — What's the Difference?

The state of being physically destroyed, collapsed, or decayed

The destruction of a ship at sea; a shipwreck

The state of being extensively harmed or damaged

Something, especially a vehicle or building, that has been badly damaged or destroyed

Poverty of bankruptcy

A person whose physical or mental health or strength has failed

Often ruins A destroyed, collapsed, or decayed building or other physical entity

Cause the destruction of (a ship) by sinking or breaking up

One that has been extensively damaged or harmed

Destroy or severely damage (a structure, vehicle, or similar)

A cause of destruction or irreparable harm or loss

Engage in breaking up badly damaged vehicles or demolishing old buildings to obtain usable spares or scrap.

To cause (a building, for example) to be in a destroyed, collapsed, or decayed state.

The act of destroying or the state of being destroyed; destruction

To harm or damage the quality or value of (something) irreparably

Accidental destruction of a ship; a shipwreck.

To harm or damage the enjoyment or experience of (something) greatly

The stranded hulk of a severely damaged ship.

To reduce to poverty or bankruptcy

Fragments of a ship or its cargo cast ashore by the sea after a shipwreck; wreckage.

The remains of a destroyed or dilapidated construction, such as a house or castle.

An automobile or railroad collision or accident

(uncountable) The state of being a ruin, destroyed or decayed.

The remains of something that has been wrecked, especially an automobile that has crashed

(uncountable) Something that leads to serious trouble or destruction.

Something that is dilapidated or worn out

The act of ruining something.

A person who is physically or mentally worn out.

(obsolete) A fall or tumble.

To cause the destruction of in a collision

A change that destroys or defeats something; destruction; overthrow.

To dismantle or raze; tear down.

(uncountable) Complete financial loss; bankruptcy.

To cause to undergo ruin or disaster

(transitive) To cause the fiscal ruin of; to bankrupt or drive out of business.

To suffer destruction or ruin; become wrecked

To destroy or make something no longer usable.

(Informal) To experience or cause an accident in which the vehicle one is riding in is badly damaged

To upset or overturn the plans or progress of, or to have a disastrous effect on something.

To work as a wrecker.

To make something less enjoyable or likeable.

Something or someone that has been ruined.

To reveal the ending of (a story); to spoil.

The remains of something that has been severely damaged or worn down.

(obsolete) To fall into a state of decay.

An event in which something is damaged through collision.

To seduce or debauch, and thus harm the social standing of.

A shipwreck: an event in which a ship is heavily damaged or destroyed.

The act of falling or tumbling down; fall.

Goods, etc. cast ashore by the sea after a shipwreck.

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.

(ornithology) A large number of birds that have been brought to the ground, injured or dead, by extremely adverse weather.

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.

(transitive) To destroy violently; to cause severe damage to something, to a point where it no longer works, or is useless.

The state of being dcayed, or of having become ruined or worthless; as, to be in ruins; to go to ruin.

(transitive) To ruin or dilapidate.

That which promotes injury, decay, or destruction.

To dismantle wrecked vehicles or other objects, to reclaim any useful parts.

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.

(transitive) To involve in a wreck; hence, to cause to suffer ruin; to balk of success, and bring disaster on.

To fall to ruins; to go to ruin; to become decayed or dilapidated; to perish.

(intransitive) To be involved in a wreck; to be damaged or destroyed.

An irrecoverable state of devastation and destruction;

See 2d & 3d Wreak.

A ruined building;

To destroy, disable, or seriously damage, as a vessel, by driving it against the shore or on rocks, by causing it to become unseaworthy, to founder, or the like; to shipwreck.

The process of becoming dilapidated

To bring wreck or ruin upon by any kind of violence; to destroy, as a railroad train.

An event that results in destruction

To involve in a wreck; hence, to cause to suffer ruin; to balk of success, and bring disaster on.

Failure that results in a loss of position or reputation

To suffer wreck or ruin.

Destruction achieved by wrecking something

To work upon a wreck, as in saving property or lives, or in plundering.

Destroy completely; damage irreparably;

The destruction or injury of a vessel by being cast on shore, or on rocks, or by being disabled or sunk by the force of winds or waves; shipwreck.

Destroy or cause to fail;

Destruction or injury of anything, especially by violence; ruin; as, the wreck of a railroad train.

Reduce to bankruptcy;

The ruins of a ship stranded; a ship dashed against rocks or land, and broken, or otherwise rendered useless, by violence and fracture; as, they burned the wreck.

Reduce to ruins;

The remain of anything ruined or fatally injured.

Deprive of virginity;

Goods, etc., which, after a shipwreck, are cast upon the land by the sea.

Fall into ruin

Something or someone that has suffered ruin or dilapidation;

An accident that destroys a ship at sea

A serious accident (usually involving one or more vehicles);

A ship that has been destroyed at sea

Smash or break forcefully;