wrecking ball

noun

|Updated on: 20 Jun 2018

Definition of wrecking ball

: a heavy iron or steel ball swung or dropped by a derrick to demolish old buildings — called also wrecker's ball

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Recent Examples of wrecking ball from the Web

And when Mr Trump seeks to bring them about with a wrecking ball aimed at allies and global institutions, what is the balance of costs and benefits to America and the world?

— The Economist, "Donald Trump’s demolition theory of foreign policy won’t work," 7 June 2018
Today, perhaps unsurprisingly, the 130kg wrecking ball holds rank as one of the world's best players.

— george ramsay, CNN, "From teenager to test match: The long road to rugby stardom," 11 May 2018
And while a large, yellow demolition notice hangs on the front door, the church that last year sparked a widespread preservation controversy will not face a wrecking ball anytime soon.

— caitlin mccabe, Philly.com, "After a months-long attempt to demolish a Bella Vista church, Ori Feibush searches for a preservationist to save it," 20 Apr. 2018
But too often this wrecking ball of a disease takes a toll on the entire family.

— marc agronin, WSJ, "How to Reduce Dementia’s Tragic Toll on Families," 13 Nov. 2017
Warjiyo later took up a post as an executive director with the International Monetary Fund in Washington between 2007 and 2009, just as the global financial crisis moved like a wrecking ball through economies around the world.

— karlis salna, Bloomberg.com, "Forged in Crisis, Newest Asian Central Bank Chief Comes Prepared," 28 Mar. 2018
McNamee stayed straight through the next day, until the fire had been beaten back far enough for a forty-five-hundred-pound wrecking ball to swing into the B wall, starting a demolition job that would last more than two months.

— sean flynn, Esquire, "The Perfect Fire," 9 Mar. 2017
With even lower temperatures forecast, the aqueduct had a crane and wrecking ball standing by to break up large chunks that could overwhelm the intake.

— steve hendrix, Washington Post, "‘Not built for this’: What fails in the extreme cold? Just about everything.," 4 Jan. 2018
But some architects and preservationists are upset about the prospect of a wrecking ball tearing through it.

— charles v. bagli, New York Times, "Out With the Old Building, in With the New for JPMorgan Chase," 21 Feb. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'wrecking ball.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.