in ruins

phrase

: destroyed with some pieces or parts remaining

The building was/lay in ruins.

—sometimes used figuratively

After her death, the family was in ruins.

Examples of in ruins in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The Limoges town hall on fire overnight Saturday and in ruins on Sunday morning. — Max Butterworth, NBC news, 19 Oct. 2026

Crain's Chicago Business recounted that by 1982, less than a year after the theater closed, it was practically left in ruins. — Adam Harrington, CBS News, 16 Oct. 2026

The fire left the market in ruins, with about 20 merchants losing their stalls, according to Ariel Weil, the mayor of central Paris. — Sadie Chafe, FOXNews.com, 13 Oct. 2026

Israel responded with a military offensive that has killed over 74,000 Palestinians in the Gaza Strip according to local health authorities, left the territory in ruins and sparked an ongoing humanitarian catastrophe. — Arkansas Online, 8 Oct. 2026

Rhymes for in ruins

• bruins
• gluons