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
In the 20th century, civil war — linked to the Vietnam War — left much of the country in ruins.
—
Lilit Marcus, CNN Money, 27 Nov. 2025
The designation was granted to Haiti after a string of natural and political disasters, starting with a catastrophic earthquake in 2010 that left the country and economy in ruins.
—Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 26 Nov. 2025
Two hundred years later, Barnabas escapes into the world of 1972, only to discover that his once-magnificent home is in ruins and his family has fallen apart.
—Maria Azzurra Volpe, MSNBC Newsweek, 26 Nov. 2025
The visual opens with a scene of a grey, dystopian city in ruins, with thunder cracking and ominous black birds soaring over crumbling buildings overgrown with vegetation.
—Gil Kaufman, Billboard, 21 Nov. 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.
Lilit Marcus, CNN Money, 27 Nov. 2025
The designation was granted to Haiti after a string of natural and political disasters, starting with a catastrophic earthquake in 2010 that left the country and economy in ruins.
—Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 26 Nov. 2025
Two hundred years later, Barnabas escapes into the world of 1972, only to discover that his once-magnificent home is in ruins and his family has fallen apart.
—Maria Azzurra Volpe, MSNBC Newsweek, 26 Nov. 2025
The visual opens with a scene of a grey, dystopian city in ruins, with thunder cracking and ominous black birds soaring over crumbling buildings overgrown with vegetation.
—Gil Kaufman, Billboard, 21 Nov. 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 30 Nov. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share