1
as in garbage
discarded or useless material
the unsightly debris left after mining operations had ceased
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 demolition workers cleared away all of the debris from the demolished building
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of debris
Be cautious around puddles or debris that can hide a pothole’s depth.
—
Miriam Fauzia, Dallas Morning News, 29 Jan. 2026
All gutters and drains should be cleaned of ice, snow, and other debris, the agency said.
—Bailey Allen, The Providence Journal, 28 Jan. 2026
In September 2014, the same Firestone plant in Gastonia also had a fire, blamed on pieces of insulation surrounding the chimney that ignited, which caused debris inside the chimney to catch fire.
—Charlotte Observer, 28 Jan. 2026
Try to find a place that will block blowing or falling debris.
—Southern California Weather Report, Daily News, 28 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for debris
Miriam Fauzia, Dallas Morning News, 29 Jan. 2026
All gutters and drains should be cleaned of ice, snow, and other debris, the agency said.
—Bailey Allen, The Providence Journal, 28 Jan. 2026
In September 2014, the same Firestone plant in Gastonia also had a fire, blamed on pieces of insulation surrounding the chimney that ignited, which caused debris inside the chimney to catch fire.
—Charlotte Observer, 28 Jan. 2026
Try to find a place that will block blowing or falling debris.
—Southern California Weather Report, Daily News, 28 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for debris
Recent Examples of Synonyms for debris
Noun
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Installed on the former garbage dump bounded by Sunset, Lewis, Western and Glen Flora avenues, there are now 20,000 solar panels.—
Charles Selle,
Chicago Tribune,
12 Jan. 2026
-
Rescuers retrieved eight people alive and were searching for the missing still trapped after a huge mound of garbage and debris collapsed on them in the village of Binaliw in Cebu city, police said.—
CNN Money,
CNN Money,
9 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
The Gaza Health Ministry currently reports 71,667 deaths, including more than 450 since the October 2025 ceasefire, though Israeli officials said the estimate does not include bodies believed to be buried under rubble.—
Michael Dorgan,
FOXNews.com,
31 Jan. 2026
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Some people were trapped under the rubble as Israeli strikes targeted shelters, tents for displaced people, residential apartments and a police station, the spokesperson, Basal, said.—
Sophie Tanno,
CNN Money,
31 Jan. 2026
Noun
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That includes chores such as picking up trash, vacuuming, or stirring a pot of food, though the robot has also been seen jogging and dancing.—
Andrea Guzmán,
Austin American Statesman,
30 Jan. 2026
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Fruit flies will still find rotten food thrown in the trash and drink cans that still contain liquid, so keep a lid on the bins for extra protection.—
Emma Ashe,
Southern Living,
30 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Garrith Jamieson, spokesperson for the private paramedic service ALS Paramedics, told The Associated Press that 11 were dead and several people were critically injured, including the driver of the minibus, who was trapped in the wreckage.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
30 Jan. 2026
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An Arlington facility for brake parts brand Cardone has been caught in the wreckage as a dramatic bankruptcy and criminal proceedings sweep up an Ohio auto parts conglomerate.—
Sasha Richie,
Dallas Morning News,
29 Jan. 2026
Noun
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Researchers revealed that the high-voltage output facilitates the neutralization and collection of dust and moisture by generating negative ions.—
Prabhat Ranjan Mishra,
Interesting Engineering,
12 Jan. 2026
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Adding a dust ruffle around the base of your bed can make this spot even better for keeping messy items hidden.—
Lauren Landers,
The Spruce,
12 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Homes and infrastructure lie in ruins.—
Sarah Ferguson,
Forbes.com,
23 Jan. 2026
-
The ruins of one of what was once the northernmost bishopric sat nearby.—
Tim Neville,
Outside,
23 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Piles of human scraps offer a bottomless buffet to wildlife, and to access that bounty, animals need to be bold enough to rummage through human rubbish but not so bold as to become a threat to people.—
Marina Wang,
Scientific American,
14 Nov. 2025
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Helga once wrestled down a drunk fisherman in the Café, a man of above-average size, and then threw him out like a piece of rubbish; Jens thus transfers most of his weight automatically to her; who is this kid, by the way?—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
10 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
Most of that toxic junk was never found, Fernando added.—
Tereza Pultarova,
Space.com,
24 Jan. 2026
-
There’s so much junk in Eggleston’s pictures.—
Hilton Als,
New Yorker,
24 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Debris.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/debris. Accessed 1 Feb. 2026.
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