Definition of rubblenext
as in debris
the portion or bits of something left over or behind after it has been destroyed clearing the rubble after the earthquake

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of rubble Rescuers have been combing through rubble from Friday’s attack on Kryvyi Rih, Zelensky’s hometown, which has been targeted multiple times during the four-year-war. Kosta Gak, CNN Money, 21 Aug. 2026 Another family in the city lost two of three triplet sisters; their parents were later found dead, embracing beneath the rubble. Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 18 Aug. 2026 Earlier, rescuers in the port town of Maumere found 20 dead, six injured and two people trapped under rubble, said Fathur Rahman, head of the city's rescue agency. Reuters, USA Today, 15 Aug. 2026 Days later, rescue crews found the body of the 24-year-old eyewear salesman in the rubble of his hotel, according to Noticias Caracol and the Magdalena Daily. Desiree Anello, PEOPLE, 15 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for rubble
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rubble
Noun
  • Chinese surveillance footage from the Tibetan side of the border shows a huge wall of mud and debris crashing over buildings and engulfing roads as people desperately try to flee the torrent.
    Diaa Hadid, NPR, 27 Aug. 2026
  • An ice and rock avalanche from a high-altitude glacier may have triggered the flooding, with a large volume of debris entering the Lende Khola tributary, researchers have said in a preliminary assessment.
    Josh Feldman, NBC news, 27 Aug. 2026
Noun
  • Painstaking analysis of 319 tons of wreckage and thousands of pieces of evidence from a crime scene covering 845 square miles, along with thousands of interviews in 16 countries, eventually led investigators to two Libyan intelligence operatives.
    The Week UK, TheWeek, 27 Aug. 2026
  • Software, which took a beating earlier this year, has more recently staged a comeback as traders reevaluated their business outlooks, and combed through the wreckage for survivors.
    Sarah Min, CNBC, 27 Aug. 2026
Noun
  • The mountains, castles, and ruins of Ashina enable a unique traversal system.
    Aman Kumar, Encyclopedia Britannica, 27 Aug. 2026
  • The tornado struck Pomas, a village of about 1,000 people, on Monday and rescue teams were continuing their search through ruins on Tuesday, though no people were immediately reported missing.
    Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 25 Aug. 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Rubble.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rubble. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

More from Merriam-Webster on rubble

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!