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
Likewise, victory, which could also be elusive, will simply gain it some territory that is now in ruins.
—
Peter Suciu, Forbes.com, 16 Jan. 2026
More than two months ago, Israel and Hamas signed a cease-fire agreement that offered Palestinians in Gaza a hope of respite after a punishing two-year Israeli bombardment that left much of their enclave in ruins.
—Samuel Granados, New York Times, 12 Jan. 2026
Notably, season 2 concludes with the Shibuya Incident, an event that left Tokyo in ruins and resulted in cursed spirits killing civilians across the city, according to Crunchyroll.
—Christopher Rudolph, PEOPLE, 8 Jan. 2026
Venezuela’s infrastructure is already in ruins.
—Monica Duffy Toft, The Conversation, 5 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for in ruins
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Peter Suciu, Forbes.com, 16 Jan. 2026
More than two months ago, Israel and Hamas signed a cease-fire agreement that offered Palestinians in Gaza a hope of respite after a punishing two-year Israeli bombardment that left much of their enclave in ruins.
—Samuel Granados, New York Times, 12 Jan. 2026
Notably, season 2 concludes with the Shibuya Incident, an event that left Tokyo in ruins and resulted in cursed spirits killing civilians across the city, according to Crunchyroll.
—Christopher Rudolph, PEOPLE, 8 Jan. 2026
Venezuela’s infrastructure is already in ruins.
—Monica Duffy Toft, The Conversation, 5 Jan. 2026
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 3 Feb. 2026.
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