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
Mattresses and questionably clean bedding were dredged up, dusty couches cleared of detritus.
—
Literary Hub, 13 Feb. 2026
The detritus of the birthday party forces her to look back — perhaps uncomfortably, if only fleetingly, for a woman whose career is all about momentum.
—Tatiana Siegel, Variety, 11 Feb. 2026
Although many modern artists have used collage to navigate and interpret the impersonal detritus of mass culture, Canty’s work, with its understated sense of place, is quite different.
—Benjamin Lima
special Contributor, Dallas Morning News, 7 Feb. 2026
Look into so many today and they’re littered with detritus and treated as a dumping ground for whatever’s closest to hand.
—Mark Ellwood, Robb Report, 3 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for detritus
Literary Hub, 13 Feb. 2026
The detritus of the birthday party forces her to look back — perhaps uncomfortably, if only fleetingly, for a woman whose career is all about momentum.
—Tatiana Siegel, Variety, 11 Feb. 2026
Although many modern artists have used collage to navigate and interpret the impersonal detritus of mass culture, Canty’s work, with its understated sense of place, is quite different.
—Benjamin Lima
special Contributor, Dallas Morning News, 7 Feb. 2026
Look into so many today and they’re littered with detritus and treated as a dumping ground for whatever’s closest to hand.
—Mark Ellwood, Robb Report, 3 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for detritus
Recent Examples of Synonyms for detritus
Noun
-
Images from the scene showed debris scattered across the yard.—
Doug Myers,
CBS News,
20 Mar. 2026
-
After a catastrophic debris strike destroys their shuttle during a spacewalk, Sandra Bullock’s astronaut is left untethered, spinning silently against the vastness of space, while George Clooney’s veteran astronaut tries to guide her from a distance.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
19 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
-
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
-
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
Cite this Entry
“Detritus.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/detritus. Accessed 21 Mar. 2026.
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