rubble

/ˈrʌbəl/

/ˈrʌbəl/

Other forms: rubbles

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.

Definitions of rubble

1. noun

   the remains of something that has been destroyed or broken up
   synonyms: debris, detritus, dust, junk

   types:

   slack

   dust consisting of a mixture of small coal fragments and coal dust and dirt that sifts out when coal is passed over a sieve

   type of:

   garbage, refuse, rubbish, scrap, trash

   worthless material that is to be disposed of