rubble

1 of 2

noun

rub·​ble ˈrə-bəl How to pronounce rubble (audio)
Synonyms of rubble
1
a
: broken fragments (as of rock) resulting from the decay or destruction of a building
… fortifications knocked into rubble.—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

rubble

2 of 2

verb

rubbled; rubbling ˈrə-b(ə-)liŋ How to pronounce rubble (audio)

transitive verb

: to reduce to rubble

Synonyms of rubble

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Noun

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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.
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Noun
The government has said the rubble removal effort involves separating recyclable construction materials from hazardous waste so that concrete, steel and other materials can be reused in reconstruction projects whenever possible. — Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 4 Aug. 2026 The rubble could then come together, forming Neptune's inner moons, with the clay minerals exposed on their surfaces. — Charles Q. Choi, Space.com, 3 Aug. 2026 Her daughter-in-law, Kimber Renz, salvaged a muffin tin from the rubble. — Christopher Cann, USA Today, 3 Aug. 2026 Despite this pledge, the sculptures were jackhammered into rubble. — Kai Bird, New Yorker, 3 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for rubble

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English robyl

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

1944, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of rubble was in the 14th century

Rhymes for rubble

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Browse Nearby Words

rubbishy
rubble
rubble ashlar
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Cite this Entry

“Rubble.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/rubble. Accessed 9 Aug. 2026.

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Kids Definition

rubble

noun
rub·​ble
ˈrəb-əl
1
: rough broken stones or bricks used in building
2
: a confused mass of rough or broken things

More from Merriam-Webster on rubble

Nglish: Translation of rubble for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about rubble

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