Synonyms of debris

debris

noun

də-ˈbrē 

1

as in garbage

discarded or useless material

the unsightly debris left after mining operations had ceased

Synonyms & Similar Words

• garbage
• trash
• dust
• rubbish
• junk
• rubble
• litter
• sewage
• truck
• waste
• wreckage
• chaff
• dross
• offal
• deadwood
• effluvium
• refuse
• scrap
• riffraff
• lumber
• detritus
• ruins
• raffle
• dreck
• wash
• spilth
• crud
• offscouring
• remains
• flotsam
• dump
• jetsam
• discard
• scrap heap
• swill
• straw
• slop
• odds and ends
• trumpery
• cull
• nothing
• castoff
• reject
• two bits
• throwaway
• hand-me-down

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• treasure
• prize
• plum
• pearl
• treasure trove
• catch
• trove
• jewel
• gem
• find
• salvage
• booty
• valuable
• goody

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

• rubble
• wreckage
• ruins
• remains
• ashes
• remnant
• residue
• detritus
• wreck
• flotsam
• dust
• garbage
• junk
• leavings
• litter
• jetsam
• trash
• chaff
• rubbish
• waste
• dross
• scrap
• refuse
• deadwood
• riffraff

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of debris

Orbital debris, replacement cycles and the difficulty of repairing hardware make space a far harsher environment than Northern Virginia. — Ben Topor, Forbes.com, 6 Aug. 2026

The Perseid meteor shower occurs around the same time each year, typically starting in mid-July and lasting until late August, when our planet passes through debris from a comet called Swift-Tuttle. — Chantelle Lee, Time, 6 Aug. 2026

Regularly dusting the leaves gets rid of debris that blocks sunlight. — Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 6 Aug. 2026

Although no one observed the actual 5,400-mph (8,700-kph) collision, a telescope in Chile spotted what astronomers have identified as the debris plume resulting from the crash. — Marcia Dunn, Fortune, 5 Aug. 2026