in ruins

phrase

: destroyed with some pieces or parts remaining

The building was/lay in ruins.

—sometimes used figuratively

After her death, the family was in ruins.

Examples of in ruins in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Israel responded with a military offensive that has killed over 74,000 Palestinians in the Gaza Strip according to local health authorities, left the territory in ruins and sparked an ongoing humanitarian catastrophe. — Arkansas Online, 8 Oct. 2026

Globally, there is shock and condemnation over how Israel has conducted the war, and how Gaza remains in ruins and cut off from the world a year since the ceasefire. — Cara Anna, Los Angeles Times, 7 Oct. 2026

After conquering a country in ruins and containing sectarian strife, Syria’s postrevolutionary government is facing its most serious crisis yet – at the pumps. — Taylor Luck, Christian Science Monitor, 28 Sep. 2026

The attack left the building, and the LDS community in Grand Blanc, in ruins. — Liam Rappleye, Freep.com, 18 Sep. 2026

Rhymes for in ruins

• bruins
• gluons