wreck 1 of 2

1
as in wreckage
the portion or bits of something left over or behind after it has been destroyed found the wreck of the ship lying on the floor of the ocean

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2
as in wrecking
the destruction or loss of a ship the wreck cost the insurance company millions of dollars

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3
as in collision
the violent coming together of two bodies into destructive contact a dangerous stretch of roadway that has been the scene of numerous car wrecks

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wreck

2 of 2

verb

1
as in to scuttle
to cause irreparable damage to (a ship) by running aground or sinking many an unwary captain has wrecked his ship on the shoals that surround the island

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2
as in to ruin
to bring to a complete end the physical soundness, existence, or usefulness of most of the furniture on the ground floor was wrecked by the floodwaters

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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 wreck
Noun
Last year, the government announced plans to begin recovering artifacts from the wreck. Aurora Martínez, Smithsonian Magazine, 23 June 2025 The wreck occurred around 7:18 a.m. at 15th Street and Jefferson Boulevard. Darrell Smith, Sacbee.com, 22 June 2025
Verb
The region gets its name from the fleet of Spanish ships wrecked off the coast in the 1700s, leaving gold and silver coins strewn across the ocean floor. Kelsey Glennon, Southern Living, 8 June 2025 DeChambeau became the first defending champion to miss the cut at the national championship since Gary Woodland in 2020 — his round wrecked by errant drives, knucklers out of the rough and putts that would not drop. Apress, The Orlando Sentinel, 14 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for wreck
Recent Examples of Synonyms for wreck
Noun
  • The power of the blast sent wreckage flying across the river into Mexican territory.
    ArsTechnica, ArsTechnica, 27 June 2025
  • The exhibit trailer flipped end-over-end, then ripped in half, scattering flyers and lead cowboy figurines across the burning wreckage.
    Hazlitt, Hazlitt, 18 June 2025
Noun
  • Robledo was involved in a collision with a patrol car shortly before 6:15 a.m. near Olympic Parkway and Windingwalk Street.
    Karen Kucher, San Diego Union-Tribune, 24 June 2025
  • Drugs or alcohol do not appear to be factors in the collision, the CHP said.
    Harry Harris, Mercury News, 24 June 2025
Verb
  • Obviously, other nations would like to see that, and this is a perfect way to scuttle the USS America on the shoals of Iran.
    Zac Anderson, USA Today, 19 June 2025
  • Other nations would like to see that, and this is a perfect way to scuttle the U.S.S. America on the shoals of Iran.
    Ted Johnson, Deadline, 16 June 2025
Verb
  • And just like that, Donald Trump ruined something else.
    James Hibberd, HollywoodReporter, 26 June 2025
  • However, for some, gambling is an addiction that can ruin lives and families.
    Daniella Segura, Sacbee.com, 26 June 2025
Noun
  • Chavez's action on that night left the crowd at Talking Stick Resort Arena in Phoenix, Arizona, showering the ring with debris.
    Trent Reinsmith, Forbes.com, 27 June 2025
  • After 9/11, undocumented immigrants were tasked with cleaning up the debris of the World Trade Center, as Karla Cornejo Villavicencio showed in her book The Undocumented Americans.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 26 June 2025
Noun
  • Detaching parts may pose a hazard to other road users and increase the risk of crashes, according to the NHTSA report.
    Natalie Neysa Alund, USA Today, 25 June 2025
  • The incident was a major setback for Boeing, which was still working to rebuild trust with regulators and the flying public after the deadly crashes of two 737 Max jets in 2018 and 2019 that killed 346 people.
    Joel Rose, NPR, 24 June 2025
Verb
  • The 18th-century vessels were shipwrecked in 1710, and archaeologists only recently discovered that the ships – long believed to be pirate ships – were used to transport slaves.
    Andrea Margolis, FOXNews.com, 6 May 2025
  • Historical sources had recorded that two Danish slave vessels were shipwrecked off the coast of Central America in 1710: The Fridericus Quartus was set on fire, while the anchor rope of the Christianus Quintus was cut and the ship was swept away.
    Amarachi Orie, CNN Money, 2 May 2025
Verb
  • Indeterminate numbers of casualties have occurred in both Iran and Israel, though Israel's intentions to destroy Iran's nuclear capabilities may require U.S. artillery aid in the form of multi-ton bunker buster bombs.
    Nick Mordowanec, MSNBC Newsweek, 20 June 2025
  • Kanye West fired multiple PR firms before his antisemitic meltdowns destroyed billion-dollar partnerships with Adidas and Gap.
    Lilian Raji, Forbes.com, 20 June 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Wreck.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wreck. Accessed 3 Jul. 2025.

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