train wreck

noun

|Updated on: 15 Aug 2018

Definition of train wreck

1 : a violent and destructive crash involving a train

2 : an utter disaster or mess : a disastrous calamity or source of trouble

Six months later, with Washington facing a political train wreck in Iraq, whom did it call? The United Nations.
—Fareed Zakaria

The train wreck that was Florence Ballard could not be hidden anymore. … Those shows went on without a hitch, but with Ballard progressively drinking harder, disaster awaited them as they trekked from Miami to play several college dates across the South.
—Mark Ballard

… to create what is termed on Capitol Hill a train wreck—a budget crisis so awful that the President would have to seriously negotiate, and yield on taxes.
—Elizabeth Drew

Recent Examples of train wreck from the Web

Like the time in Lake Tahoe where the atmosphere was like a train wreck — people talking, TV blaring.

— cindy atoji keene, BostonGlobe.com, "This speaking coach will help you get rid of the hitch in your pitch," 23 June 2018
This is not Markle’s first train wreck of a pass through the press.

— breanna edwards, The Root, "Meghan Markle’s Dad Claims Prince Harry Told Him to ‘Give Donald Trump a Chance’," 18 June 2018
Earlier this year, Burbey touched off a controversy with a negative social media post about Republicans after several GOP members of Congress were injured in a train wreck on their way to a conference.

— allan vought, The Aegis, "Moving back to classroom, Harford teachers union leader steps down," 6 July 2018
Here’s something that few would have predicted last summer: Twitter stock, which has been a relative train wreck for most of the past few years, is suddenly at a three-year high.

— kurt wagner, Recode, "Twitter stock is at a three-year high. What is going on?," 13 June 2018
This train wreck should be a political death sentence for any big-city mayor.

— Washington Post, "D.C.’s school scandals are barely registering with the public. That shows how little we value education.," 19 Apr. 2018
Consider that the most memorable Oscar moment of the past decade was a train wreck that compromised the dignity of two venerable movie stars and messed with the feelings of two excellent young filmmakers.

— a. o. scott and manohla dargis, New York Times, "Dear Movie Industry, We Have Thoughts," 2 May 2018
The description also fits Johnny Manziel, who not only didn't 'wreck this league' as promised, but was a train wreck here.

— mary kay cabot, cleveland.com, "Baker Mayfield: 'I'm not going to try to prove that not I'm Johnny' Manziel," 27 Apr. 2018
For the Air Force, now is the calm before the budgetary storm—or, to use a more colorful metaphor—the calm before the train wreck.

— kyle mizokami, Popular Mechanics, "New Air Force Budget Cuts Down the F-35 Fleet," 9 Feb. 2016

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'train wreck.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.