rubble

American  

[ruhb-uhl, roo-buhl] / ˈrʌb əl, ˈru bəl /

noun

1. broken bits and pieces of anything, as that which is demolished.

   Bombing reduced the town to rubble.

2. any solid substance, as ice, in irregularly broken pieces.

3. rough fragments of broken stone, formed by geological processes, in quarrying, etc., and sometimes used in masonry.

4. masonry built of rough fragments of broken stone.

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rubble British  

/ ˈrʌbəl /

noun

1. fragments of broken stones, bricks, etc

2. any fragmented solid material, esp the debris from ruined buildings

3. quarrying the weathered surface layer of rock

4. Also called: rubblework.  masonry constructed of broken pieces of rock, stone, etc

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Other Word Forms

• rubbly
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of rubble

1350–1400; Middle English rubel, robil < ?; cf. rubbish

Explanation

The pile of crumbled debris that's left over after something breaks or collapses is rubble. Famous scenes of rubble include the fallen Twin Towers on September 11 and the remains of the Haitian capital after the 2010 earthquake. Rubble rhymes with "bubble," but when a bubble bursts, it just dissolves into liquid, while rubble is piles of rock, concrete, brick, and other remains that are a very physical reminder of destruction. Rock slides create rubble from rocks, and natural disasters and explosions create rubble from buildings, cars, and trees. Unfortunately, rubble is usually heavy and can trap people or things beneath it, as when bodies are found in the rubble of a fire or earthquake.

Example Sentences

"The person was pinned down but could move their hand. And I got them out alive," said Faramaya, who says he uses "nothing but a pickaxe and a shovel" to pick through the rubble.

From Barron's • Jul. 1, 2026

Jorge Rodríguez said Klieber's rescue showed there was still hope of continuing to find people alive and that domestic and international teams were still searching through rubble.

From BBC • Jun. 30, 2026

His lament mirrored the anguish of legions of Venezuelans who endured harrowing days clearing rubble by hand before crews with heavy equipment and rescue dogs belatedly arrived.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 30, 2026

“People don’t realize, she’s under the rubble, too,” said Martin Rodil, a Venezuelan activist who has worked with U.S. law enforcement to investigate Venezuelan officials, speaking of Rodríguez.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 30, 2026

Dejectedly Matthias sat down on a heap of rock and rubble that had been there since the invasion.

From "Redwall" by Brian Jacques

Related Words

• debris