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
With most of Gaza’s hospitals in ruins, thousands of children critically injured in the conflict are waiting for permission to be medically evacuated.
—
Sarah Ferguson, Forbes.com, 18 Sep. 2025
William McKay, his career is in ruins after a shocking betrayal, joins his estranged father for a fishing tournament in Belize.
—Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 12 Sep. 2025
With their houses in ruins, many people were living in the open amid a fear of aftershocks, Noorzai added.
—Mohammad Yunus Yawar, USA Today, 2 Sep. 2025
The Atlanta Constitution was founded in 1868, only a few years after the Civil War left Atlanta in ruins.
—Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 29 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for in ruins
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Sarah Ferguson, Forbes.com, 18 Sep. 2025
William McKay, his career is in ruins after a shocking betrayal, joins his estranged father for a fishing tournament in Belize.
—Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 12 Sep. 2025
With their houses in ruins, many people were living in the open amid a fear of aftershocks, Noorzai added.
—Mohammad Yunus Yawar, USA Today, 2 Sep. 2025
The Atlanta Constitution was founded in 1868, only a few years after the Civil War left Atlanta in ruins.
—Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 29 Aug. 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 20 Sep. 2025.
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