1
as in devastation
the state or fact of being rendered nonexistent, physically unsound, or useless
the wreckage of those ancient statues represents a great loss to the art world
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in rubble
the portion or bits of something left over or behind after it has been destroyed
the wreckage of the cathedral was kept as a memorial and as a reminder of war's terrible cost
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of wreckage
Investigators are just beginning to interview everyone involved, examine the wreckage and test everything that could have played a role.
—
ABC News, 25 Mar. 2026
The city dispatched street crews to clear the wreckage and clean the intersection.
—Joe Holden, CBS News, 24 Mar. 2026
Last year, Purdue announced its own expedition to research the Taraia Object, a visual anomaly also on Nikumaroro that some think could be the plane’s wreckage.
—Brie Stimson, FOXNews.com, 21 Mar. 2026
The strike caused an intense fire at the hospital, with footage from local television showing rescue crews combing through the wreckage with flashlights late into the night as firefighters struggled to extinguish the blaze.
—Arkansas Online, 19 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for wreckage
ABC News, 25 Mar. 2026
The city dispatched street crews to clear the wreckage and clean the intersection.
—Joe Holden, CBS News, 24 Mar. 2026
Last year, Purdue announced its own expedition to research the Taraia Object, a visual anomaly also on Nikumaroro that some think could be the plane’s wreckage.
—Brie Stimson, FOXNews.com, 21 Mar. 2026
The strike caused an intense fire at the hospital, with footage from local television showing rescue crews combing through the wreckage with flashlights late into the night as firefighters struggled to extinguish the blaze.
—Arkansas Online, 19 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for wreckage
Recent Examples of Synonyms for wreckage
Noun
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AccuWeather expects the Western Caribbean to be the most vulnerable, especially following the devastation brought by Category 5 Hurricane Melissa in 2025 to Jamaica and Cuba.—
Richard Tribou,
The Orlando Sentinel,
25 Mar. 2026
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The consequences of that sabotage added to the environmental devastation wreaked by the oil multinationals.—
Noo Saro-Wiwa,
The Dial,
24 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Satellite images indicate that the Iranians subsequently broke through the rubble to open the tunnel entrances, perhaps to gain access to the nuclear materials.—
Sheena Samu,
CBS News,
27 Mar. 2026
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Meanwhile in Tehran, rescue workers were combing through rubble Friday morning trying to find survivors after overnight strikes there.—
Jessie Yeung,
CNN Money,
27 Mar. 2026
Noun
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At least, there was a lot less wrecking.—
Alex Zietlow,
Charlotte Observer,
13 Feb. 2026
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The Ravens haven’t really had that game-wrecking pass rusher since Terrell Suggs was in his prime.—
The Athletic NFL Staff,
New York Times,
9 Jan. 2026
Noun
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The Sacramento County Parks Department says there's been a big increase in vandalism and destruction of the nature preserve due to unauthorized use of off-road bicycles and e-bikes.—
James Taylor,
CBS News,
31 Mar. 2026
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After the sport led to the destruction of her family four years earlier, Mallory’s focus is on her mom, her sisters and the dead-end job that keeps the lights on.—
Ashlee Conour,
Chicago Tribune,
30 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Piles of brick debris were also seen inside hospital rooms and along an exterior wall.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
26 Mar. 2026
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One of the biggest headaches any launch with a hatch deals with is known as FOD, or foreign-object debris, which could be as small as a piece of hair trapped in the seal where the hatch closes.—
Richard Tribou,
The Orlando Sentinel,
26 Mar. 2026
Noun
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While traditionally believed not to be a problem (unless visiting wrecks or ammo dumps), awareness is now growing that the sunken munitions could pose a serious environmental risk.—
Christopher McFadden,
Interesting Engineering,
25 Mar. 2026
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What the now-shuttered auto dealership neglected to tell him was that the pickup had been in at least one wreck and had already changed hands three times.—
Steven Church,
Bloomberg,
25 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Working low to high, causing havoc on the forecheck, getting pucks back.—
Corey Masisak,
Denver Post,
21 Mar. 2026
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Wild extremes of temperature, a heat dome, a potent bomb cyclone blizzard, epic rainfalls and violent tornadoes have wreaked weather havoc across the nation.—
Doyle Rice,
USA Today,
17 Mar. 2026
Noun
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During his visit, Willick had gone to the site of the attack and surveyed the ruins, which were strewn with children’s drawings and broken crayons.—
Eyal Press,
New Yorker,
30 Mar. 2026
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With Walker Monfort in charge, president of baseball operations Paul DePodesta and GM Josh Byrnes have been entrusted to excavate the Rockies from the ruins.—
Troy Renck,
Denver Post,
27 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Wreckage.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wreckage. Accessed 1 Apr. 2026.
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