rubble

1 of 2

noun

rub·​ble ˈrə-bəl How to pronounce rubble (audio)
Synonyms of rubble
1
a
: broken fragments (as of rock) resulting from the decay or destruction of a building
… fortifications knocked into rubble.C. S. Forester
b
: a miscellaneous confused mass or group of usually broken or worthless things
2
: waterworn or rough broken stones or bricks used in coarse masonry or in filling courses of walls
3
: rough stone as it comes from the quarry

rubble

2 of 2

verb

rubbled; rubbling ˈrə-b(ə-)liŋ How to pronounce rubble (audio)

transitive verb

: to reduce to rubble

Examples of rubble in a Sentence

Noun Rescue workers managed to pull two injured people out of the rubble. The earthquake reduced the whole town to rubble.
Recent Examples on the Web
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Noun
Lasker ran over to find the woman's husband was stuck in the rubble and ended up helping rescue him. CBS News, 12 June 2026 Their mobile home, set up amid the rubble, is also marked for removal. Sam Mednick, Los Angeles Times, 10 June 2026 The roads, rubble on rubble, broken. Literary Hub, 9 June 2026 If a new Tshabalala emerges from the rubble, expect dancing. Jack Bantock, CNN Money, 9 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for rubble

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English robyl

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

1944, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of rubble was in the 14th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Rubble.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/rubble. Accessed 17 Jun. 2026.

Kids Definition

rubble

noun
rub·​ble
ˈrəb-əl
1
: rough broken stones or bricks used in building
2
: a confused mass of rough or broken things

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