ruiner

3 7.9

A person or thing that destroys something

noun
/ˈruːɪnər/

: arruinador

When he spoiled the ending, he became the ultimate ruiner of the movie for everyone.

They are just unaccountable private, private life ruiners.

Examples

Because she's a life-ruiner.

Mean Girls (2004)
Walt is a manufacturer of meth, a murderer, and a total life-ruiner.

Blog text (3)
It's because Regina's a life ruiner!

Mean Girls (2024)
Why are you a life-ruiner?

Snatched (2017)
You cost us the game, State-Championship ruiner!

Regular Show: The Movie (2015)
A physical confrontation at best and at minimum is an evening ruiner.

Blog text (30)
X3 is more of a franchise ruiner, in my opinion.

Blog text (24)
Claire, you're such a ruiner!

Aquamarine (2006)
There's a difference between a bad movie and a franchise ruiner.

Blog text (24)
This is between me and volleyball State-Championship ruiner McGee.

Regular Show: The Movie (2015)

Synonyms

destroyer

vsruiner

39 5.5

A person or thing that causes great damage

focuses on causing ruin in general rather than large-scale annihilation

vandal

vsruiner

22 4.0

A person who damages public or private property on purpose

is broader, including ruin beyond property or vandalism motives

saboteur

vsruiner

20 8.3

A person who damages things on purpose to hurt a group or country

is the general term for causing ruin without political motives

wrecker

vsruiner

9 7.4

A person who damages property on purpose to cause trouble

is similar but can include accidental or non-deliberate ruin

annihilator

vsruiner

5 8.5

A person or thing that completely destroys something

covers ruin more generally rather than total obliteration

pulverizer

vsruiner

1 8.2

A person or thing that defeats others very easily and completely

refers to causing ruin in general, not only decisive defeat

destructor

vsruiner

1 7.4

A person or thing that causes a lot of damage to something

emphasizes causing ruin broadly rather than technical destructive action

ravager

vsruiner

1 8.0

A person or thing that causes a lot of damage

means ruin in general but not always with very large scale

waster

vsruiner

1 7.0

A person who destroys things or causes a lot of damage

is the neutral term for causing ruin without wasteful connotation

ruinator

vsruiner

9.9

Someone or something that causes great damage

is the common label for that identical role rather than a technical term

obliterator

vsruiner

9.9

Someone or something that destroys things completely so nothing remains

is broader, covering ruin that may leave some traces behind

eradicator

vsruiner

6.5

A person or thing that completely removes something unwanted

is about causing ruin without aiming to remove traces fully

uprooter

vsruiner

8.1

A person or thing that destroys something completely, like pulling trees out by the roots

covers causing ruin but not necessarily by removing roots or origins

demolisher

vsruiner

5.8

A person or machine that destroys buildings to clear land

applies to ruin more generally, not limited to built structures

damager

vsruiner

4.9

A person or thing that causes harm to people and property

is stronger, implying bringing things to full ruin rather than harm

desolator

vsruiner

9.1

A person or thing that destroys and leaves a place empty

is about causing ruin generally rather than creating emptiness specifically

undoer

vsruiner

9.9

A person or thing that causes ruin

covers causing ruin more broadly, not only reversal or undoing

How Destructive

annihilator

5 8.5

ravager

1 8.0

destroyer

39 5.5

ruiner

3 7.9

Surface Forms

ruiner singular

ruiners plural

Morphology

ruiner = ruin (transparent) = ruin + er

Agentive '-er' added to the verb 'ruin' yields a straightforward agent or thing that causes ruin, which B1 learners can derive.

Etymology

Ruiner comes from the word ruin, which goes back to a Latin word meaning 'fall' or 'collapse'. The ending -er means 'one who', like in teacher, so a ruiner is someone or something that makes things 'fall' or be destroyed.