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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Recent Examples of debris
The child was found on a debris pile more than a mile downstream several hours later along with another young camper who also survived.
—
Ashley Killough, CNN Money, 29 Apr. 2026
During the cleanup effort, a sanitation employee was removing debris from a public sidewalk when a large dog emerged from an area near a parked RV and attacked the employee.
—Nathaniel Percy, Daily News, 29 Apr. 2026
The Mineral Wells storm blew through an industrial park, shredding buildings, ripping apart roofs and scattering debris across the area.
—S.e. Jenkins, CBS News, 29 Apr. 2026
The tornado moved toward Wolters Village, flattening homes and throwing debris, and hit multiple businesses along Washington Avenue.
—Emily Holshouser, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 29 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for debris
Ashley Killough, CNN Money, 29 Apr. 2026
During the cleanup effort, a sanitation employee was removing debris from a public sidewalk when a large dog emerged from an area near a parked RV and attacked the employee.
—Nathaniel Percy, Daily News, 29 Apr. 2026
The Mineral Wells storm blew through an industrial park, shredding buildings, ripping apart roofs and scattering debris across the area.
—S.e. Jenkins, CBS News, 29 Apr. 2026
The tornado moved toward Wolters Village, flattening homes and throwing debris, and hit multiple businesses along Washington Avenue.
—Emily Holshouser, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 29 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for debris
Recent Examples of Synonyms for debris
Noun
-
Not a dog barking or a feral cat knocking the lid off the garbage.—
Ellen Bass,
New Yorker,
4 May 2026
-
The protester who threw a garbage bin was arrested for reckless endangerment shortly after cops arrive, officials said.—
Roni Jacobson,
New York Daily News,
3 May 2026
Noun
-
At least one car was trapped beneath the rubble.—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
3 May 2026
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Her body was pulled from the rubble hours later when rescuers were able to reach the scene.—
Bassam Hatoum,
Los Angeles Times,
1 May 2026
Noun
-
Limon’s body was found April 24 on the Howard Frankland Bridge, also in a large black trash bag and with stab injuries, records state.—
Tony Marrero,
The Orlando Sentinel,
1 May 2026
-
Pratt, 42, has not been shy about his views, referring to Bass as trash, using the Spanish word basura as a play on her last name.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
1 May 2026
Noun
-
Photos from the wreckage show, among other pages from the emergency manual, instructions for a water landing lying loose at the crash site.—
James Glanz,
New York Times,
1 May 2026
-
One option is the wreckage of the second Death Star.—
Dewayne Bevil,
The Orlando Sentinel,
1 May 2026
Noun
-
The Bin 23 Air Jordan 3 comes in a box printed with a woodgrain graphic alongside dust bags and wooden shoe trees.—
Riley Jones,
Footwear News,
3 May 2026
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In addition, strong winds over desert areas could result in briefly lowered visibilities to well under a mile at times in blowing dust or blowing sand.—
CA Weather Bot,
Sacbee.com,
3 May 2026
Noun
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Other people are giving up on remote Nyatim and going home to ruins.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
28 Apr. 2026
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There are ancient ruins hidden among the peaks of Colombia, and floating islands on Peru’s most sacred lake.—
Carla Vianna,
Condé Nast Traveler,
27 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
From the Japanese point of view, leaving rubbish piled up in a stadium would be a bother to others.—
Stephen Wade,
Chicago Tribune,
30 Apr. 2026
-
Local villages are actively monitoring the oceans and reefs in their environment, and backlash to a recent plan from a billionaire Australian to build a giant plant to incinerate rubbish in Fiji was loud and well organized, says Singh.—
MIchelle Duff,
HollywoodReporter,
27 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Having junk hauled away costs money.—
Brandee Gruener,
Southern Living,
26 Apr. 2026
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For me, Storage Wars was an addiction and Darrell was the loveable loser who was always looking for that $40 bill in a pile of junk.—
Joe Kinsey OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
23 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Debris.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/debris. Accessed 5 May. 2026.
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