wreckage

noun

ˈre-kij How to pronounce wreckage (audio)
Definition of wreckagenext
1
as in devastation
the state or fact of being rendered nonexistent, physically unsound, or useless the wreckage of those ancient statues represents a great loss to the art world

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in rubble
the portion or bits of something left over or behind after it has been destroyed the wreckage of the cathedral was kept as a memorial and as a reminder of war's terrible cost

Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in wrecking
the destruction or loss of a ship debris floated ashore for weeks after the wreckage

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 wreckage The wreckage of a McLaren 720S involved in a deadly crash that killed two people in Irvine spontaneously ignited and caught fire last week inside a secure facility, Irvine police said in a statement. — Los Angeles Times, 19 Oct. 2026 David Robinson, director and chief archaeologist of the BUAR, told Fox News Digital that several clues led him to question the wreckage's original identification. — Andrea Margolis, FOXNews.com, 16 Oct. 2026 Search and rescue teams found the wreckage in Aeneas Valley, Washington, near Tonasket, Washington, according to the release. — ABC News, 12 Oct. 2026 The debris field of the crash extended about 30 feet around the main wreckage. — Dean Fioresi, CBS News, 7 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for wreckage
Recent Examples of Synonyms for wreckage
  1. devastation
  2. rubble
  3. wrecking
  4. destruction
  5. debris
  6. wreck
  7. havoc
  8. ruins
Noun
  • The devastation spread on a sunny, calm weekend without warning.
    — Alicia Victoria Lozano, NBC news, 17 Oct. 2026
  • Most of the new songs wrestle with how to seek pleasure while remaining hyperaware of the devastations of the world, and how that tension can make happiness itself feel like a vice.
    — Amanda Petrusich, New Yorker, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of devastation
Noun
  • Hours after the collapse in Peshawar, the capital of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, emergency services spokesperson Bilal Faizi said that everyone trapped beneath the rubble had been pulled out and crews had cleared debris.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 16 Oct. 2026
  • Hours after the collapse in Peshawar, the capital of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, emergency services spokesperson Bilal Faizi said everyone trapped beneath the rubble had been pulled out and crews had cleared debris.
    — Riaz Khan, Los Angeles Times, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of rubble
Noun
  • At least, there was a lot less wrecking.
    — Alex Zietlow, Charlotte Observer, 13 Feb. 2026
  • The Ravens haven’t really had that game-wrecking pass rusher since Terrell Suggs was in his prime.
    — The Athletic NFL Staff, New York Times, 9 Jan. 2026
Definition of wrecking
Noun
  • The end of saving money and raising middle-class wages justifies the means, namely, the destruction of immigrant families.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 16 Oct. 2026
  • The destruction releases vast stores of carbon, adding to climate change that is already contributing to drought and forest fires across the tropics.
    — Ruben Nyanguila, semafor.com, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of destruction
Noun
  • Hours after the collapse in Peshawar, the capital of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, emergency services spokesperson Bilal Faizi said that everyone trapped beneath the rubble had been pulled out and crews had cleared debris.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 16 Oct. 2026
  • The hurricane had headed for the interior and Palm Beach was already clearing its debris.
    — Gerald R. Hunter, Outdoor Life, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of debris
Noun
  • Oldoerp said investigators were already in contact with McLaren officials and other experts about how to proceed in inspecting the wreck.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 19 Oct. 2026
  • What happens if Larson and Bell, Briscoe and Hamlin are all caught up in a wreck early in the race?
    — Zach Dean OutKick, FOXNews.com, 19 Oct. 2026
Definition of wreck
Noun
  • Lignel began conversations with the gallery in 2008 as a recession wrought havoc upon the New York art market and the global economy.
    — Alex Greenberger, ARTnews.com, 20 Oct. 2026
  • Lucas Calderon, owner of Holy Crab, a Coral Gables seafood business that specializes in stone crab home delivery, recalls the havoc Milton wrought on the industry.
    — Miami Herald, Miami Herald, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of havoc
Noun
  • Throughout the South, the people and movement calling itself the Confederacy lay in utter ruins.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 19 Oct. 2026
  • Ancient ruins have stood the test of time because they are made of stone.
    — Donna Vickroy, Chicago Tribune, 18 Oct. 2026
Definition of ruins

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wreckage
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Cite this Entry

“Wreckage.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wreckage. Accessed 23 Oct. 2026.

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