wreckage

noun

wreck·​age ˈre-kij 

1

: the act of wrecking : the state of being wrecked

2

a

: something that has been wrecked

b

: broken and disordered parts or material from something wrecked

Synonyms of wreckage

• devastation
• destruction
• havoc
• demolition
• loss
• extinction

Examples of wreckage in a Sentence

Workers sifted through the wreckage of the building, searching for bodies.

They cleared the wreckage from the track.

Recent Examples on the Web

The summit itself turned out to be a failure, but Washington and Moscow later climbed over its wreckage to reach new agreements. — Tom Nichols, The Atlantic, 14 Aug. 2026

Barker and Goldstein suffered severe burns Barker and Goldstein were spotted a few feet from the wreckage by local resident William Owens, who had been driving near the airport. — Gillian Telling, PEOPLE, 13 Aug. 2026

Cities The Dead Mall Society Lana Hall Standing in the wreckage of these spaces unlocks a sensation people often crave, but can’t name. — Naomi Skwarna, hazlitt.net, 13 Aug. 2026

Video of the remarkable rescue filmed by Osorio shows the tiny infant in a dusty bodysuit being carefully pulled out of the wreckage. — Rocio Munoz, CNN Money, 12 Aug. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1837, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

wreckage

noun

wreck·​age ˈrek-ij 

1

a

: the act of wrecking

b

: the state of being wrecked

2

: the remains of a wreck