Thesaurus results for RUBBLE

rubble

noun

ˈrə-bəl

Definition of rubble

as in debris

the portion or bits of something left over or behind after it has been destroyed clearing the rubble after the earthquake

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Example Sentences

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.

Recent Examples of rubble Immediately after the collapse, firefighters and other first responders found his body in the rubble. — René Ostberg, Encyclopedia Britannica, 4 Sep. 2026 Many around the world looked in horror last month at images of a Ukrainian grandmother weeping as the body of her grandson was pulled from the rubble of his home following a Russian missile attack. — Marc A. Thiessen, Washington Post, 3 Sep. 2026 The image by Associated Press photographer Jehad Alshrafi features a soccer match being played by members of the Palestinian Ahli Gaza Club on a pristine, synthetic green field, surrounded by rubble from Israeli military attacks. — Devorah Lauter, ARTnews.com, 1 Sep. 2026 In footage released by Iran’s semi-official Tasnim News Agency, purporting to show the aftermath of a US strike, heavy smoke can be seen hanging in the air above rubble on the ground. — Zachary Cohen, CNN Money, 1 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for rubble

Recent Examples of Synonyms for rubble

Noun

Mercury's rough surface, continually reshaped by debris hurled from impact craters, may have hidden the true extent of the loss, according to the researchers whose findings appear in the journal Geophysical Research Letters.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 11 Sep. 2026
This comes after a partial glacier collapse in the Himalayan mountains unleashed a sudden surge of water, mud, and debris that swept through border crossings, valley communities, and hydropower projects on August 26.

— Jeremy Hsu, ArsTechnica, 10 Sep. 2026

Definition of debris

Noun

From throughout five boroughs and 50 states, heroes descended on the place, now called Ground Zero, where physical wreckage and human remains commingled.

— New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 11 Sep. 2026
The streets are deserted, the glow of the floodlights on the wreckage fade behind him.

— Jeff Goodell, Rolling Stone, 11 Sep. 2026

Definition of wreckage

Noun

Three firefighters stand atop a pile of twisted steel and debris, raising an American flag above the ruins of the World Trade Center.

— Thomas E. Franklin, USA Today, 11 Sep. 2026
Among the most notable is the Acropolis in Athens with its iconic ruins of ancient civilization preserved as columned edifices, stone statues, and temple mounts.

— Jennifer Tzeses, Condé Nast Traveler, 10 Sep. 2026

Definition of ruins

Browse Nearby Words

rubbishy

rubble

rube

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Rubble.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rubble. Accessed 15 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of rubble

noun

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster on rubble

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

quorum

Popular in Grammar & Usage

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Why do we use apostrophes to show possession?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Popular in Wordplay

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Back to School Vocabulary

Words from the 'Odyssey'

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

Popular

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Back to School Vocabulary

Games & Quizzes