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
After the collapse of the Soviet Union, insurgents in neighboring Chechnya fought two separatist wars for independence – which Russia labeled terrorism and responded with tactics that left much of the capital Grozny in ruins.
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Kathleen Magramo, CNN, 24 June 2024
These are images of Ruidoso, this resort village an outdoor paradise in ruins.
—CBS News, 23 June 2024
Britain was weak, its finances were in ruins, and the empire was beginning to disintegrate.
—Balaji Ravichandran, Washington Post, 12 June 2024
The clip later sees Sam team up with Joseph Quinn's character, Eric, as both try to escape and understand their new world, as the city around them crumbles in ruins.
—Taijuan Moorman, USA TODAY, 10 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for in ruins 
Kathleen Magramo, CNN, 24 June 2024
These are images of Ruidoso, this resort village an outdoor paradise in ruins.
—CBS News, 23 June 2024
Britain was weak, its finances were in ruins, and the empire was beginning to disintegrate.
—Balaji Ravichandran, Washington Post, 12 June 2024
The clip later sees Sam team up with Joseph Quinn's character, Eric, as both try to escape and understand their new world, as the city around them crumbles in ruins.
—Taijuan Moorman, USA TODAY, 10 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for in ruins
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'in ruins.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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Cite this Entry
“In ruins.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/in%20ruins. Accessed 4 Jul. 2024.
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