wreckage

noun

wreck·​age ˈre-kij 

1

: the act of wrecking : the state of being wrecked

2

a

: something that has been wrecked

b

: broken and disordered parts or material from something wrecked

Synonyms of wreckage

• devastation
• destruction
• havoc
• demolition
• loss
• extinction

Examples of wreckage in a Sentence

Workers sifted through the wreckage of the building, searching for bodies.

They cleared the wreckage from the track.

Recent Examples on the Web

Crews extricated one person from the wreckage, according to LAFD. — Dean Fioresi, CBS News, 11 Nov. 2026

On November 9, rescuers were still digging through rubble in Komyshuvakha, searching for around 19 people authorities believed were trapped beneath the wreckage. — Clare Sebastian, CNN Money, 10 Nov. 2026

Emergency teams and cranes were dispatched to the scene to clear the wreckage and restore train services to their normal schedule as soon as possible, the Egyptian Railway Authority said. — Mohamed Saleh, Los Angeles Times, 8 Nov. 2026

The Egyptian Railway Authority said emergency teams and cranes were dispatched to the scene to clear the wreckage and restore train services to their normal schedule as soon as possible. — Khaleda Rahman, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 Nov. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1837, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

wreckage

noun

wreck·​age ˈrek-ij 

1

a

: the act of wrecking

b

: the state of being wrecked

2

: the remains of a wreck