1
as in garbage
discarded or useless material
the unsightly debris left after mining operations had ceased
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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
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
The customer care center was created about seven years ago to give commuters a place to call in the case of potholes, trees or debris in the roadway.
—
Sean Krofssik, Hartford Courant, 18 Mar. 2026
Israel said an Iranian missile hit the occupied West Bank, marking the territory’s first fatalities during the Iran war, though missile debris has damaged homes and businesses.
—Jon Gambrell, Chicago Tribune, 18 Mar. 2026
The creek bed, which is filled with 20- to 30-foot trees, dead weeds and debris, has been the subject of both health and safety concerns for residents of the 115 condo units.
—Regina Elling, San Diego Union-Tribune, 18 Mar. 2026
Also Tuesday, a tanker anchored off the coast of Fujairah sustained minor damage when it was hit by debris from an interception, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations center, run by the British military, reported.
—Dallas Morning News, 17 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for debris
Sean Krofssik, Hartford Courant, 18 Mar. 2026
Israel said an Iranian missile hit the occupied West Bank, marking the territory’s first fatalities during the Iran war, though missile debris has damaged homes and businesses.
—Jon Gambrell, Chicago Tribune, 18 Mar. 2026
The creek bed, which is filled with 20- to 30-foot trees, dead weeds and debris, has been the subject of both health and safety concerns for residents of the 115 condo units.
—Regina Elling, San Diego Union-Tribune, 18 Mar. 2026
Also Tuesday, a tanker anchored off the coast of Fujairah sustained minor damage when it was hit by debris from an interception, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations center, run by the British military, reported.
—Dallas Morning News, 17 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for debris
Recent Examples of Synonyms for debris
Noun
-
Adebayo’s pursuit of history transformed a garbage-time snoozer into a highly competitive game within the game.—
Bennett Durando,
Denver Post,
14 Mar. 2026
-
Late one night in Payatas, a shantytown near a garbage dump in Manila’s outskirts, Santiago knocked on the door of a funeral office.—
Sheila Coronel,
The Atlantic,
13 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
The church, which as of late February was little more than a pile of rubble, is on Northeast Second Avenue, El Portal’s main artery.—
Catherine Odom,
Miami Herald,
14 Mar. 2026
-
Residents helped to clear away rubble caused by the blast, which appeared to hit an apartment block, as vehicles sat covered in dust with their windows shattered and rubble strewn across the road.—
NBC News,
NBC news,
13 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Guardsmen are also carrying out civic duties like picking up trash, tending to landscaping and scrubbing graffiti.—
Steven Beynon,
ABC News,
20 Mar. 2026
-
From grimy microwaves to pizza crusts in trash bags, health inspectors in Missouri and Kansas found numerous violations at Kansas City-area restaurants last week.—
Eleanor Nash,
Kansas City Star,
20 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
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,
Arkansas Online,
19 Mar. 2026
-
Crews are expected to work over the coming weeks to clear the wreckage and make way for the construction of a permanent memorial to the victims, a project slated to be completed in September 2027.—
Ryan Gillespie,
The Orlando Sentinel,
18 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
The Stars have left the Mammoth in their dust with their recent streak, now a full 20 points ahead of Utah in the standings.—
SportsDay Staff,
Dallas Morning News,
16 Mar. 2026
-
The states that fall for the tax-the-rich mania will be left in the dust, with failing economies and shrinking political clout in Congress.—
Betsy McCaughey,
Boston Herald,
16 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Over time, the outside area became filled with detritus, including pieces of ruins, and overgrown with weeds.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
17 Mar. 2026
-
Al-Shalchi says many buildings, including homes and schools, lie in ruins from Israeli airstrikes.—
Brittney Melton,
NPR,
17 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
The study confirmed direct dumping by boats, with evidence of bags full of rubbish thrown overboard.—
Ryan Brennan,
Kansas City Star,
10 Mar. 2026
-
Researchers found evidence of bags full of rubbish being thrown overboard, identifiable by pile-up patterns on the seabed.—
Ryan Brennan,
Charlotte Observer,
10 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Some of the mandatory junk fees could total $1,700 a year per renter, alleged the suit, and prospective tenants also paid non-refundable reservation and application fees ranging from $55 up to $500.—
Mary Walrath-Holdridge,
USA Today,
12 Mar. 2026
-
Oracle's 5-year credit default swaps widened as bond investors were skeptical of the enterprise software company's ability to hold on to its investment-grade credit rating, currently two notches above junk.—
Seema Mody,
CNBC,
10 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Debris.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/debris. Accessed 21 Mar. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
