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
Today, the economy is in ruins and gang violence and kidnappings are a staple of daily life in the capital.
—
Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 26 Jan. 2025
The investigation into the January 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol became the biggest in Justice Department history and left many far-right militia groups in the country in ruins.
—David Gilbert, WIRED, 22 Jan. 2025
Another fire in 1922 largely destroyed the studio and left it in ruins for years to come.
—Ryan Gajewski, The Hollywood Reporter, 19 Jan. 2025
Related article After the Eaton Fire, these Altadena residents return — with despair and hope — to homes in ruins
Veronica Jones, president of the Altadena Historical Society, has lived in the area for the last 60 years.
—Matt Friedman, CNN, 19 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for in ruins 
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Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 26 Jan. 2025
The investigation into the January 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol became the biggest in Justice Department history and left many far-right militia groups in the country in ruins.
—David Gilbert, WIRED, 22 Jan. 2025
Another fire in 1922 largely destroyed the studio and left it in ruins for years to come.
—Ryan Gajewski, The Hollywood Reporter, 19 Jan. 2025
Related article After the Eaton Fire, these Altadena residents return — with despair and hope — to homes in ruins
Veronica Jones, president of the Altadena Historical Society, has lived in the area for the last 60 years.
—Matt Friedman, CNN, 19 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for in ruins
Dictionary Entries Near in ruins
Cite this Entry
“In ruins.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/in%20ruins. Accessed 30 Jan. 2025.
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