in ruins
idiom
: destroyed with some pieces or parts remaining
The building was/lay in ruins.
—sometimes used figurativelyAfter her death, the family was in ruins.
Examples of in ruins in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Several were in ruins, and were unlikely to ever again receive patients.
—
Clayton Dalton, New Yorker, 18 Apr. 2025
Much of Gaza is in ruins and most of its population has been displaced.
—Nidal Al-Mughrabi, USA Today, 13 Apr. 2025
However, due to the war in Gaza, the enclave’s education system is in ruins.
—Jade Walker, CNN Money, 10 Apr. 2025
The palace appeared to be in ruins, with soldiers stepping on broken tiles.
—Samy Magdy and Jon Gambrell, Los Angeles Times, 21 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for in ruins
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Clayton Dalton, New Yorker, 18 Apr. 2025
Much of Gaza is in ruins and most of its population has been displaced.
—Nidal Al-Mughrabi, USA Today, 13 Apr. 2025
However, due to the war in Gaza, the enclave’s education system is in ruins.
—Jade Walker, CNN Money, 10 Apr. 2025
The palace appeared to be in ruins, with soldiers stepping on broken tiles.
—Samy Magdy and Jon Gambrell, Los Angeles Times, 21 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for in ruins
Cite this Entry
“In ruins.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/in%20ruins. Accessed 6 May. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share