shipwreck

1 of 2

noun

ship·​wreck ˈship-ˌrek How to pronounce shipwreck (audio)
1
: a wrecked ship or its parts
2
: the destruction or loss of a ship
3
: an irretrievable loss or failure

shipwreck

2 of 2

verb

shipwrecked; shipwrecking; shipwrecks

transitive verb

1
a
: to cause to experience shipwreck
b
: ruin
2
: to destroy (a ship) by grounding or foundering

Examples of shipwreck in a Sentence

Noun Only a few sailors survived the shipwreck. The crew narrowly avoided shipwreck. Divers searched the sunken shipwreck. Verb the yachtsman fell asleep at the wheel and shipwrecked his ketch on the rocks
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Noun
Richard Larn, a diver and shipwreck expert, founded the museum with his wife, Bridget, in 1976. Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 4 Nov. 2024 Favoring the right hand Shankland was interested in the idea of studying clavicles, or collarbones, from the shipwreck because the bones showcase unique characteristics related to age, development and growth. Ashley Strickland, CNN, 31 Oct. 2024
Verb
The Democratic Party, particularly, is prone to shipwrecking on the shoals of unretiring seniors. Daniel Immerwahr, The New Yorker, 25 Nov. 2024 Adrian: Adrian is a minor character in The Tempest who is shipwrecked on the island. Kara Nesvig, Parents, 14 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for shipwreck 

Word History

Etymology

Noun

alteration of earlier shipwrack, from Middle English schipwrak, from Old English scipwræc, from scip ship + wræc something driven by the sea — more at wrack

First Known Use

Noun

12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1589, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of shipwreck was in the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near shipwreck

Cite this Entry

“Shipwreck.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/shipwreck. Accessed 6 Dec. 2024.

Kids Definition

shipwreck

1 of 2 noun
ship·​wreck -ˌrek How to pronounce shipwreck (audio)
1
: a wrecked ship
2
: the destruction or loss of a ship

shipwreck

2 of 2 verb
1
: to cause to experience shipwreck
a storm that shipwrecked the sailors
2
: to destroy (a ship) by driving ashore or sinking

More from Merriam-Webster on shipwreck

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