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

That's hard for Jay, who's reckoning with the wreckage caused by him placing his career ahead of everything else. —Randall Colburn, Entertainment Weekly, 9 Dec. 2025

Multiple shipwrecks have been found in the bay, including the wreckage of Napoleon's fleet from the 1798 Battle of the Nile. —CBS News, 8 Dec. 2025

Read about the journey from wreckage to recovery here, and hear more of the kids' stories here. —Nashville Tennessean, 5 Dec. 2025

Newsweek has reported that Pentagon officials were aware survivors remained alive before the follow-up strike was ordered, citing sources who said surveillance footage showed the men clearly visible on the wreckage. —MSNBC Newsweek, 5 Dec. 2025

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