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
Odette killed 405 people across the archipelago and left Nay Palad in ruins.
—
Jeff Chu, Travel + Leisure, 16 June 2025
The black basalt station in Daraa, the second-largest in Syria, is in ruins.
—Taylor Luck, Christian Science Monitor, 6 June 2025
Whether the characters made it through the night unscathed or in ruins, their formal wear has remained iconic in pop culture.
—Diana Pearl, People.com, 24 May 2025
Two and a half minutes later, most of the town lay in ruins, consumed first by earthquake and then by fire.
—Ann Kirschner, Forbes.com, 5 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for in ruins
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Jeff Chu, Travel + Leisure, 16 June 2025
The black basalt station in Daraa, the second-largest in Syria, is in ruins.
—Taylor Luck, Christian Science Monitor, 6 June 2025
Whether the characters made it through the night unscathed or in ruins, their formal wear has remained iconic in pop culture.
—Diana Pearl, People.com, 24 May 2025
Two and a half minutes later, most of the town lay in ruins, consumed first by earthquake and then by fire.
—Ann Kirschner, Forbes.com, 5 June 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 4 Jul. 2025.
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