detritus

noun

di-ˈtrī-təs How to pronounce detritus (audio)
Definition of detritusnext
as in debris
the portion or bits of something left over or behind after it has been destroyed the expanse of tree stumps represented the detritus of a vast forest that had been mercilessly clear-cut

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of detritus Still, even with Ellison’s $111 billion WBD takeover plan under threat from a state attorneys general antitrust suit, $4 million and change is sofa detritus to the son of Larry Ellison. — Dominic Patten, Deadline, 21 Aug. 2026 This is where the Sora 70's surface-cleaning functionality came in handy, filling the filter basket with every floating bit of detritus and leaving the pool looking as if there had been no storm at all. — John Mihaly, PC Magazine, 17 Aug. 2026 The dirty sea near the city often carried this kind of detritus to the shore. — Cynthia Zarin, Harpers Magazine, 4 Aug. 2026 In the next round of Count the Rice, the rice is mixed into a large box full of paper, styrofoam, and other detritus. — Tasha Robinson, Vulture, 14 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for detritus
Recent Examples of Synonyms for detritus
  1. debris
  2. rubble
  3. wreckage
  4. ruins
Noun
  • The whole satellite network needs to be resilient to space debris.
    — Peter Hall, Scientific American, 1 Oct. 2026
  • And even more monsters can be found in sculptural works such as LeRage (2017), which shows a grayscale version of the Incredible Hulk smashing his fist into the ground and sending debris flying.
    — Alex Greenberger, ARTnews.com, 30 Sep. 2026
Definition of debris
Noun
  • Two women in Zaporizhzhia died when they were trapped beneath the rubble of their home, Zaporizhzhia’s regional military administration said.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 26 Sep. 2026
  • Rescue crews with a sniffer dog were searching the rubble for potentially missing people, the fire department said.
    — Lefteris Pitarakis, Los Angeles Times, 25 Sep. 2026
Definition of rubble
Noun
  • The Egan Maritime Institute said its exhibits and collections manager would survey the site and send a report to state underwater archaeologists, who then will work with the institute to determine which vessel the wreckage came from.
    — CBS News, CBS News, 29 Sep. 2026
  • The institute’s exhibits and collections manager and the state’s underwater archaeologists will work to determine which vessel the wreckage came from.
    — Leah Willingham, Los Angeles Times, 29 Sep. 2026
Definition of wreckage
Noun
  • Hikers will uncover Romanesque ruins, ancient forests, crumbling monasteries, and orange groves along their way.
    — Olivia Morelli, Condé Nast Traveler, 29 Sep. 2026
  • But a more apt comparison might be the Mirabilia Urbis Romae, in which Medieval scholars deciphered the staggering ruins of Classical Rome.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 29 Sep. 2026
Definition of ruins

Browse Nearby Words

detriments
detritus
de trop
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Cite this Entry

“Detritus.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/detritus. Accessed 4 Oct. 2026.

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