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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Examples of detritus in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
While some garden detritus helps to harbor beneficial insects over the winter, leaving dead peony foliage invites plant diseases.
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Andy Wilcox, Better Homes & Gardens, 15 Sep. 2024
Today’s Instagrammer no longer chooses one representative photo at a time, creating a grid of images just so; instead, users, especially those belonging to Gen Z, are putting up faux-messy but actually carefully selected compendia showcasing the detritus of their lives.
—Kyle Chayka, The New Yorker, 11 Sep. 2024
But chambers were otherwise as informal as a church hall, and every surface was stacked with the detritus of years gone by – lima bean and radish seeds on an antique metal desk, a well head, reading glasses, garage door openers.
—Lauren Villagran, USA TODAY, 15 Sep. 2024
After the tumult, creativity, bombast, and activism of President Donald Trump’s approach to China, officials on the Biden team are faced with crafting a coherent strategy from the rubble and detritus of the last administration’s actions.
—Evan Medeiros, Foreign Affairs, 17 Mar. 2021
See all Example Sentences for detritus 
Andy Wilcox, Better Homes & Gardens, 15 Sep. 2024
Today’s Instagrammer no longer chooses one representative photo at a time, creating a grid of images just so; instead, users, especially those belonging to Gen Z, are putting up faux-messy but actually carefully selected compendia showcasing the detritus of their lives.
—Kyle Chayka, The New Yorker, 11 Sep. 2024
But chambers were otherwise as informal as a church hall, and every surface was stacked with the detritus of years gone by – lima bean and radish seeds on an antique metal desk, a well head, reading glasses, garage door openers.
—Lauren Villagran, USA TODAY, 15 Sep. 2024
After the tumult, creativity, bombast, and activism of President Donald Trump’s approach to China, officials on the Biden team are faced with crafting a coherent strategy from the rubble and detritus of the last administration’s actions.
—Evan Medeiros, Foreign Affairs, 17 Mar. 2021
See all Example Sentences for detritus
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'detritus.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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“Detritus.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/detritus. Accessed 24 Oct. 2024.
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