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Prepositions after verbs

Ruin with different prepositions

Ruin commonly appears with by and with to express cause or means. Other prepositions may appear in specific contexts.

Quick answer

Which prepositions are natural with ruin?

Use ruin by mainly in passive structures, and ruin with for the means or damaging element. Ruin for can mean spoil for someone. In and after are usually separate time or situation phrases, not fixed combinations.

The picnic was ruined by the rain.
He ruined the carpet with paint.
The surprise ruined for everyone.

Choose the pattern by meaning

These forms are not interchangeable. Choose the construction by meaning, not by which preposition appears most often.

1
be ruined by + cause

Showing what caused damage

By is common in passive structures with ruin.

The event was ruined by technical problems.
2
ruin + object + with + thing

Showing the damaging means

Use with for the substance or action that caused damage.

She ruined the dress with bleach.
3
ruin for + person

Spoiling an experience

Ruin for means make something less enjoyable for someone.

The ending was ruined for me by spoilers.
4
ruin in + situation

Adding context or circumstance

In usually introduces a wider situation rather than forming a fixed verb pattern.

Many businesses were ruined in the financial crisis.

See the difference in context

The same subject can take different constructions because each sentence answers a different question.

Construction
Example
Meaning
ruin by
The match was ruined by heavy rain.
cause of damage in passive voice
ruin with
He ruined the soup with too much salt.
means or damaging element
ruin for
The joke ruined the film for me.
spoil an experience for someone
ruin in
Several investors were ruined in the crash.
in gives the context or event
ruin after
They rebuilt after the fire ruined the shop.
after usually introduces time, not a fixed pattern with ruin

Common mistakes

Some combinations appear in real text but do not mean what learners often assume.

Using ruin by in active voice unnaturally

By is most natural in passive constructions.

✕ He ruined by his comments the meeting. ✓ The meeting was ruined by his comments.

Confusing ruin for with ruin by

For identifies the affected person, while by gives the cause.

✕ The surprise was ruined by me. ✓ The surprise was ruined for me.

Treating ruin after as a fixed pattern

After normally adds time information rather than combining directly with ruin.

✓ The business struggled after the storm ruined the building.

Quick practice

Choose the expression that matches the intended meaning.

1. The concert was ruined ___ bad weather.
2. He ruined the sauce ___ too much pepper.
3. The ending was ruined ___ me by a review.

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Frequently asked questions

Is ruin by common?

Yes, especially in passive sentences such as was ruined by rain.

What does ruin for mean?

It means to spoil an experience or enjoyment for someone.

Can I use ruin after?

After usually introduces a later event or time rather than forming a standard verb-preposition pattern.

radiate-from-into-around-to, with "raise in" or "raise by"? rake in, through, across, at or over? rally in, around, to, behind or on? "rape by" or "rape in"? ratify by, in, on, according or as? ravage by, from, on, through or with? rave about, at, from, to or before? reach for, by, at, to or into? react to, with, in, by or like? read about, in, on, through or for? "realize in", "realize at" or "realize by"?

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