wrecking ball

noun

: a heavy iron or steel ball swung or dropped by a derrick to demolish old buildings

called also wrecker's ball

Examples of wrecking ball in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The Preservation Action Council of San Jose was part of the effort to save the building from the wrecking ball, starting in 2019, and launched a $300,000 fundraising campaign to help pay for the 900-foot move — which came out to about 25 cents an inch. —Sal Pizarro, Mercury News, 28 Mar. 2026

If robotics companies hope to win hearts and minds, not coming in like a literal wrecking ball might help. —Frank Landymore, Futurism, 26 Mar. 2026

Trump has been an international wrecking ball, even without the war in Iran. —Tom Zirpoli, Baltimore Sun, 17 Mar. 2026

Are not random acts of rhyming gone wrong still more pleasant than thinking about squealing war-babies, the wrecking ball that is the last week of a Florida legislative session or the AI Apocalypse which should be here (checks watch) very soon? —Pat Beall, Sun Sentinel, 13 Mar. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1924, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for wrecking ball

• aerosol
• alcohol
• arbitral
• basketball
• butanol
• cannonball
• carbinol
• catarrhal
• cortisol
• ethanol
• fireball
• gasohol