in ruins

idiom

: 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

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In response, Israel has vowed to dismantle Hamas, waging a destructive campaign that has left large portions of the densely populated Palestinian territory in ruins. —

Nina Turner, Newsweek, 29 Oct. 2024 As the war moves into its second year, the death toll from the Israeli campaign in Gaza is approaching 43,000, with the densely populated enclave in ruins. —

Nidal Al-Mughrabi, USA TODAY, 25 Oct. 2024 More than 42,000 Palestinians in the Gaza Strip have died in Israeli retaliatory attacks, according to the Gaza Health Ministry, and the ongoing war has brought on a humanitarian crisis and left the territory in ruins. —

Howard Blume, Los Angeles Times, 25 Oct. 2024 How Helene devastated western North Carolina and left communities in ruins IV fluids are used for a wide range of medical purposes. —

Deidre McPhillips, CNN, 29 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for in ruins