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

Witnesses said speed may have been a factor in a fiery crash on Hazel Avenue late Monday that killed a driver trapped in the wreckage and injured two CHP officers who tried to pull him to safety, California Highway Patrol officials said. — Darrell Smith, Sacbee.com, 15 Sep. 2026

From throughout five boroughs and 50 states, heroes descended on the place, now called Ground Zero, where physical wreckage and human remains commingled. — New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 11 Sep. 2026

The streets are deserted, the glow of the floodlights on the wreckage fade behind him. — Jeff Goodell, Rolling Stone, 11 Sep. 2026

His remains were later recovered from the South Tower's wreckage in the winter of 2002. — Pat Mueller, USA Today, 11 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