DÉBRIS Synonyms: 68 Similar and Opposite Words

debris

noun

də-ˈbrē

Definition of debris

as in garbage

discarded or useless material the unsightly debris left after mining operations had ceased

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in rubble

the portion or bits of something left over or behind after it has been destroyed the demolition workers cleared away all of the debris from the demolished building

Synonyms & Similar Words

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of debris Don’t miss out on the Dyson V8 Cordless Vacuum, which works on carpets and hardwoods to get debris like pet hair and dust up with ease. — Madeline Merinuk, PEOPLE, 2 July 2026 Norzagaray is the Wildcoast senior marine debris manager and lives in Tijuana. — Serge Dedina, San Diego Union-Tribune, 2 July 2026 Rodríguez denied those claims, saying some remote areas were difficult to reach because roads were blocked by landslides and debris, forcing authorities to rely on motorcycles, drones and satellite imagery. — Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 3 July 2026 Seconds later, a powerful explosion blasted through the doorway, shattering windows and sending vertical blinds and debris flying as firefighters quickly retreated from the building. — Greg Wehner, FOXNews.com, 2 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for debris

Recent Examples of Synonyms for debris

Noun

Instead, rival parties united in dismissing his actions as a stunt, leaving his only opponent to be a garbage-can wearing comedian whose policies include forcing rule-breaking cyclists to ride unicycles.

— Billy Stockwell, CNN Money, 9 July 2026
Using a plastic bag to collect the soil and disposing of it in the garbage — not green yard waste bins — will help to reduce the spread of airborne chemicals.

— Christopher Buchanan, Los Angeles Times, 8 July 2026

Definition of garbage

Noun

And, as the country and its people begin to piece together the full toll of the destruction amid the rubble, the notion of playing baseball seems absurd in the wake of such tragedy.

— Liana Handler Follow, Los Angeles Times, 6 July 2026
Residential buildings were badly damaged in the assault, leaving people trapped in multi-story apartment blocks and an entire family that was killed pulled from the rubble, while cars were seen burning on city streets.

— Helen Regan, CNN Money, 6 July 2026

Definition of rubble

Noun

Reaching the wreckage proved difficult as emergency workers, backed by paramilitary forces, climbed down a steep mountainside to the ravine up to 25 meters (80 feet) deep.

— ABC News, ABC News, 3 July 2026
According to the operator, the pilot used a small clipboard to record load notes and fuel calculations, but that clipboard was not found in the wreckage, investigators said.

— Judy L. Thomas, Kansas City Star, 2 July 2026

Definition of wreckage

Noun

The Aspiron Canister Vacuum is designed with a powerful brushless motor, three-stage filtration system, and large dust cup that keeps shoppers from having to constantly empty it.

— Jill Layton, PEOPLE, 4 July 2026
The dust has not quite settled on one of this season’s blockbuster trades during NBA free agency.

— Lauren Williams, AJC.com, 3 July 2026

Definition of dust

Noun

As a reminder, the Mission San Juan Capistrano tour ends at the ruins of what’s now called the Great Stone Church, which collapsed in an 1812 earthquake that killed 40 Acjachemen worshippers.

— Gustavo Arellano, Los Angeles Times, 4 July 2026
The engineer flew in from Tampa to try and find her mother, sister, brother-in-law and nephew in the ruins of their nine-story apartment building, sleeping on the ground since arriving two nights ago.

— Isa Soares, CNN Money, 1 July 2026

Definition of ruins

Noun

Only construction waste will be accepted at the landfill such as, brush and rubbish, concrete, brick, rock, wood, paper, plastics, cardboard and roofing shingles and tiles.

— Elizabeth Campbell, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 1 July 2026
So where does the rubbish come from?

— Jasmin Malik Chua, Footwear News, 8 June 2026

Definition of rubbish

Browse Nearby Words

debriefs

debris

debs

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Debris.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/debris. Accessed 10 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of debris

noun

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster on debris

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

effulgence

Popular in Grammar & Usage

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Commonly Misspelled Words

How to Use Em Dashes (—), En Dashes (–) , and Hyphens (-)

Popular in Wordplay

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List

One-Word Oxymorons: Bittersweet, Spendthrift, and More

Ten Words Ending with a Silent ‘T’

The Words of the Week - Jul 10

Popular

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List

Games & Quizzes