1
a
: broken fragments (as of rock) resulting from the decay or destruction of a building
fortifications knocked into rubble—
C. S. Forester
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
Synonyms
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
Steven Zeitchik, The Hollywood Reporter, 15 Jan. 2025
Tears as Dog Found Alive In Rubble From The Eaton Fire
By Alyce Collins
Life and Trends Reporter
0
As the Los Angeles wildfires continue to ravage homes and communities, internet users have been reduced to tears by a dog that was found injured in the rubble.
—Michael Gfoeller and David H. Rundell, Newsweek, 15 Jan. 2025
Youmna Melhem Chamieh, Harper's Magazine, 2 Jan. 2025
Israeli attacks on Jabalia refugee camp, shown here in February, 2024, reduced many buildings to rubble.
—Mosab Abu Toha, The New Yorker, 31 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for rubble 
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Noun
But just as important, say trauma veterans and professionals, is the psychological reconstruction — the Herculean challenge of restoring the sense of confidence and hope now also reduced to rubble.
—Steven Zeitchik, The Hollywood Reporter, 15 Jan. 2025
Tears as Dog Found Alive In Rubble From The Eaton Fire
By Alyce Collins
Life and Trends Reporter
0
As the Los Angeles wildfires continue to ravage homes and communities, internet users have been reduced to tears by a dog that was found injured in the rubble.
—Michael Gfoeller and David H. Rundell, Newsweek, 15 Jan. 2025
Verb
One air strike reduced an Ottoman-era building across from the Palmyra to rubble, covering the first floor of the hotel in debris and blowing out the three windows overlooking the balcony.
—Youmna Melhem Chamieh, Harper's Magazine, 2 Jan. 2025
Israeli attacks on Jabalia refugee camp, shown here in February, 2024, reduced many buildings to rubble.
—Mosab Abu Toha, The New Yorker, 31 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for rubble
Dictionary Entries Near rubble
Cite this Entry
“Rubble.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/rubble. Accessed 19 Jan. 2025.
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