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

While the full extent of economic wreckage remains unknown, the prospect of an extended global impact is all but certain, Sweet said. —Max Zahn, ABC News, 24 Apr. 2026

But by Friday morning, Lamerton was sorting through the wreckage with a different outlook. —Samantha Agate, Sacbee.com, 24 Apr. 2026

Volunteers with Fetch Foster Rescue mobilized to track down cats, dogs and other animals left stranded, separated from their owners or trapped in the wreckage. —Samantha Agate, Miami Herald, 23 Apr. 2026

Crews reopened some lanes to traffic until the wreckage could be towed. —Karen Kucher, San Diego Union-Tribune, 21 Apr. 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