rubble

noun

rub·ble | \ˈrə-bəl

Definition of rubble

(Entry 1 of 2)

1a : 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

verb

rubbled; rubbling\ ˈrə-b(ə-)liŋ

Definition of rubble (Entry 2 of 2)

transitive verb

: to reduce to rubble

Synonyms More Example Sentences Learn More about rubble

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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: Noun

Dale Osteen, a theme-park visitor from Virginia, was bombed in his rental car two years ago by rubble from an overpass in Orlando. — Kevin Spear, OrlandoSentinel.com, "I-4 construction nightmares: Drivers seeking payment for car damage face daunting odds," 13 July 2018 The city building housing the records of their lives was rubble. — Carol Motsinger, Cincinnati.com, "With Holocaust center's move, Union Terminal will, once more, be a refuge for survivors," 6 July 2018 There were pieces of flesh and rubble everywhere,’’ said the doctor, who did not want to be identified out of fear for his safety. — Washington Post, BostonGlobe.com, "Airstrike in southern Syria kills families hiding in shelter from offensive," 28 June 2018 The floor is littered with scorched lumber and rubble lying in puddles of water. — Erik Lacitis, The Seattle Times, "Huge Aberdeen fire steals thousands of pieces of town history, including a Kurt Cobain exhibit," 16 June 2018 The school had been demolished, reduced to a pile of rubble by government officials. — Michael Holtz, The Christian Science Monitor, "China's forced evictions: One migrant family's story," 13 June 2018 Rats would emerge from the subway tunnels to explore the city’s rubble. — Daily Intelligencer, "This Is What a Nuclear Bomb Looks Like," 12 June 2018 John O’Neill, a search and rescue specialist, stood on the rubble above Plekan. — Joseph A. Slobodzian, Philly.com, "'I'm not angry,' says Mariya Plekan, 5 years after losing legs in Salvation Army building collapse," 1 June 2018 Get our daily newsletter Clearing away the NPE rubble and renewing lending are both vital. — The Economist, "A critical task for the Greek economy enters a new phase," 29 May 2018

Recent Examples on the Web: Verb

The giant four-engine Handley Page bombers, destined to reduce German industry to rubble, had scarcely been rolled onto the tarmac when the Armistice was declared. — Paul Kennedy, WSJ, "The RAF at 100: Masters of the Skies," 29 June 2018 The wine country fires, along with other blazes in Northern California, killed 44 people and reduced entire residential neighborhoods in Santa Rosa to rubble. — Dale Kasler, sacbee, "Northern California utility says it will turn the lights off when fire risk spikes," 22 Mar. 2018 Some people had been wounded in the recent airstrikes by Syria and its Russian allies that have reduced much of the area to rubble. — Nada Homsi And Nick Cumming-bruce, New York Times, "‘We Were Dying in There’: Thousands of Syrians Flee Rebel Enclave," 15 Mar. 2018 Russian military officials and diplomats also have scolded the U.S.-led coalition for reducing the one-time IS capital, Raqqa, to rubble and causing severe suffering for its residents. — Washington Post, "US general: Russia is both ‘arsonist and fireman’ in Syria," 27 Feb. 2018 Since igniting Sunday in spots across eight counties, the blazes have reduced entire neighborhoods to ash and rubble. — Kim Chatelain, NOLA.com, "Girl, 3, drowns in ice cream parlor grease trap: report," 15 Oct. 2017 Since igniting Sunday in spots across eight counties, the blazes have reduced entire neighborhoods to ash and rubble. — Kim Chatelain, NOLA.com, "Girl, 3, drowns in ice cream parlor grease trap: report," 15 Oct. 2017 Since igniting Sunday in spots across eight counties, the blazes have reduced entire neighborhoods to ash and rubble. — Kim Chatelain, NOLA.com, "Girl, 3, drowns in ice cream parlor grease trap: report," 15 Oct. 2017 Mexico is still reeling from Thursday's earthquake, which killed at least 32 people and reduced hundreds of buildings to rubble. — Amanda Erickson, Washington Post, "The city hardest hit by Mexico’s earthquake is a sexually liberated matriarchy," 8 Sep. 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'rubble.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.