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

Sift through the wreckage of the old plan for the pieces worth keeping, and be honest about which pieces are simply gone. — Tim Albright, Forbes.com, 10 July 2026

Various air and seaborne assets were employed by Pakistan Navy and the Pakistan Maritime Security Agency (PMSA) to locate the wreckage. — Glenn Taylor, Footwear News, 9 July 2026

On Wednesday, the Pakistan Airports Authority said that Navy ships and the Pakistan Maritime Security Agency located and recovered wreckage about 12 hours after the aircraft disappeared. — ABC News, 9 July 2026

Radar tracked a sharp turn and rapid descent over waters nearly 9,800 feet deep, complicating recovery of the main wreckage. — Munir Ahmed, Los Angeles Times, 8 July 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