as in debris
the portion or bits of something left over or behind after it has been destroyed
the expanse of tree stumps represented the detritus of a vast forest that had been mercilessly clear-cut
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of detritus
The sun shines on the empty wine bottles and related detritus of last night’s debauched party.
—
Scott Roxborough, HollywoodReporter, 24 Mar. 2026
The area wasn’t all detritus, though.
—Holden Seidlitz, New Yorker, 20 Mar. 2026
Over time, the outside area became filled with detritus, including pieces of ruins, and overgrown with weeds.
—ABC News, 17 Mar. 2026
Like any society, forests are subject to periods of heated convulsion that strip away the detritus of the past while laying the groundwork for the future.
—New York Times, 16 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for detritus
Scott Roxborough, HollywoodReporter, 24 Mar. 2026
The area wasn’t all detritus, though.
—Holden Seidlitz, New Yorker, 20 Mar. 2026
Over time, the outside area became filled with detritus, including pieces of ruins, and overgrown with weeds.
—ABC News, 17 Mar. 2026
Like any society, forests are subject to periods of heated convulsion that strip away the detritus of the past while laying the groundwork for the future.
—New York Times, 16 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for detritus
Recent Examples of Synonyms for detritus
Noun
-
The wind and the cars that drive over the pile scatter the debris into neighbors’ lots, commercial property parking areas, etc.—
Jeanne Phillips,
Mercury News,
9 Apr. 2026
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Rake the area free of any residual plant debris.—
Lauren Landers,
Better Homes & Gardens,
9 Apr. 2026
Noun
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On Saturday morning, piles of bricks and mud were all that were left, along with blankets, cooking utensils and other personal belongings salvaged from the rubble and set into a pile.—
Elena Becatoros,
Los Angeles Times,
4 Apr. 2026
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Tangled pieces of barbed wire, reams of rubble and fallen concrete scarred the skyline in Karaj, western Iran, on Friday, after the US military bombed a major new bridge under construction.—
Leila Gharagozlou,
CNN Money,
3 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Iranian officials told civilians to be on the lookout for survivors and have flooded social media with images that purport to show wreckage from the aircraft.—
Janet Loehrke,
USA Today,
4 Apr. 2026
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The vehicle smashed through barricades and concrete, racing down a hallway before becoming lodged in the twisted wreckage.—
Gayle Pearlstein,
The Washington Examiner,
3 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Ethiopia is home to 12 UNESCO World Heritage sites — including churches, parks and ancient ruins.—
Ashley J. DiMella,
FOXNews.com,
6 Apr. 2026
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Something of an oxymoron for a city whose reputation is built on ruins.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
5 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Detritus.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/detritus. Accessed 11 Apr. 2026.
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