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 Egan Maritime Institute said its exhibits and collections manager would survey the site and send a report to state underwater archaeologists, who then will work with the institute to determine which vessel the wreckage came from. — CBS News, 29 Sep. 2026

The institute’s exhibits and collections manager and the state’s underwater archaeologists will work to determine which vessel the wreckage came from. — Leah Willingham, Los Angeles Times, 29 Sep. 2026

The wreckage is on National Park Service land, and would be considered federal property. — Mark Price, Charlotte Observer, 28 Sep. 2026

The video on Iranian state television follows the length of a long underground chamber, lined on both sides by tables heaving with wreckage of American military drones. — Scott Peterson, Christian Science Monitor, 25 Sep. 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