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
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Recent Examples of debris
Flooding reveals 100-million-year-old footprints A volunteer found the dinosaur tracks while removing debris in central Texas.
—
Jade Walker, CNN Money, 11 Aug. 2025
Start with a thorough vacuuming using a clean upholstery attachment to remove dust, hair, and other debris from the mattress surface.
—Daley Quinn, Southern Living, 11 Aug. 2025
Heavy machinery was used for the fire to remove debris.
—Chevall Pryce, Baltimore Sun, 10 Aug. 2025
The Perseid meteor shower is caused by the Earth travelling through the debris left by comet Swift-Tuttle.
—Jamie Carter, Forbes.com, 10 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for debris
Jade Walker, CNN Money, 11 Aug. 2025
Start with a thorough vacuuming using a clean upholstery attachment to remove dust, hair, and other debris from the mattress surface.
—Daley Quinn, Southern Living, 11 Aug. 2025
Heavy machinery was used for the fire to remove debris.
—Chevall Pryce, Baltimore Sun, 10 Aug. 2025
The Perseid meteor shower is caused by the Earth travelling through the debris left by comet Swift-Tuttle.
—Jamie Carter, Forbes.com, 10 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for debris
Recent Examples of Synonyms for debris
Noun
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Singer is perhaps the only philosopher who could expect to find a stalker rooting through his garbage for some sign of hypocrisy—chicken bones, unopened pleas from UNICEF, a Tiffany Blue Box.—
Dan Piepenbring,
Harpers Magazine,
20 Aug. 2025
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In a startling revelation, the crew members aboard this intergalactic garbage scow turn out to be the descendants of American astronauts launched 200 years earlier during humanity's pre-warp, post-World War III days.—
Jeff Spry,
Space.com,
20 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
Nineteen people were killed, and more than 4,400 homes were reduced to ash and toxic rubble.—
Jill Cowan,
New York Times,
19 Aug. 2025
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By 1984, with help from Genevieve Brooks’s organization, families were moving into ranch houses on the former rubble field where Carter had once stood—wildflowers blooming in the burn scar.—
Daniel Immerwahr,
New Yorker,
18 Aug. 2025
Noun
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Metro Phoenix faces about a 30% chance of storms during the evening of Aug. 22, along with gusty winds up to 35 mph and pockets of blowing dust.—
Hayleigh Evans,
AZCentral.com,
22 Aug. 2025
-
For durability, the Pixel 10 Pro Fold is IP68 rated and can fully withstand dust and water.—
PC Magazine,
PC Magazine,
22 Aug. 2025
Noun
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Creating the aftermath of Maginot’s wreckage in Prodigy City was another feat.—
Daron James,
IndieWire,
13 Aug. 2025
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First responders were able to rescue Heche from the wreckage, and she was rushed to a nearby hospital in critical condition.—
Samantha Stutsman,
People.com,
5 Aug. 2025
Noun
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Help came in the form of a shy, 15-year-old named Justin Vannelli who, on the third day of her entombment, was picking up trash along the interstate.—
Miami Herald Archives,
Miami Herald,
15 Aug. 2025
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The property was littered with garbage during visits this week, with food waste piled around trash bins rotting in the heat.—
Michael Cuglietta,
The Orlando Sentinel,
15 Aug. 2025
Noun
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The new law also applies to vehicles used to transport garbage, rubbish, trash or debris.—
Mary Murphy,
Twin Cities,
30 July 2025
-
When the house was done being used, ancient people cut a hole through the floor and dug the pit, then filled it with domestic rubbish.—
Irene Wright,
Miami Herald,
9 June 2025
Noun
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Very quickly, Gilman became a matchmaker of necessities, contacting people in construction, plumbing, junk removal and more.—
Natalie Eilbert,
jsonline.com,
15 Aug. 2025
-
After that, Seattle sent the ordinance to the junk yard.—
The Editorial Board,
Oc Register,
7 Aug. 2025
Noun
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Officers arrived to find one of the vehicles, a truck, overturned.—
Jason Green,
Mercury News,
16 Aug. 2025
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As the truck was coming to a stop, a passenger in the front seat got out and ran from the vehicle, which stopped a short distance later.—
Lillie Davidson,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
16 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Debris.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/debris. Accessed 26 Aug. 2025.
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