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
Huge, black ants carry detritus into golf course-sized holes, and Delta tule peas and fire poppies splash the hills like purple-orange paint.
—
John Metcalfe, Mercury News, 4 May 2026
The National Park Service has carried out some renovations since then, and the pool is also periodically drained to scrub out algae, garbage, goose droppings and other detritus.
—Joe Walsh, CBS News, 23 Apr. 2026
The new picture also captures shadowy fractures and pits that hint at large volumes of water ice still buried beneath the surface, as well as numerous impact craters surrounded by the detritus of their own explosive formation.
—Joseph Howlett, Scientific American, 17 Apr. 2026
Across the jagged volcanic landscape of spontaneous eruptions and tumbling detritus, a space of relative calm will invariably open up.
—Philip Sherburne, Pitchfork, 13 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for detritus
John Metcalfe, Mercury News, 4 May 2026
The National Park Service has carried out some renovations since then, and the pool is also periodically drained to scrub out algae, garbage, goose droppings and other detritus.
—Joe Walsh, CBS News, 23 Apr. 2026
The new picture also captures shadowy fractures and pits that hint at large volumes of water ice still buried beneath the surface, as well as numerous impact craters surrounded by the detritus of their own explosive formation.
—Joseph Howlett, Scientific American, 17 Apr. 2026
Across the jagged volcanic landscape of spontaneous eruptions and tumbling detritus, a space of relative calm will invariably open up.
—Philip Sherburne, Pitchfork, 13 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for detritus
Recent Examples of Synonyms for detritus
Noun
-
Videos published online and geolocated by NBC News showed a blazing fire inside the airport, surrounded by debris and heavy smoke as people ran for cover.—
Chantal Da Silva,
NBC news,
4 June 2026
-
Remove any loose bits of food and debris from the smoker and removable components.—
Maria Sabella,
The Spruce,
4 June 2026
Noun
-
Another showed the roof destroyed, with rubble scattered on the ground as emergency responders surveyed the aftermath.—
Chantal Da Silva,
NBC news,
4 June 2026
-
Her second, released this week, digs through the East Wing’s rubble to rescue that mythology from the debacle of 2024.—
David Weigel,
semafor.com,
3 June 2026
Noun
-
Peter Cappelli, the Wharton management professor who has spent four years documenting the organizational wreckage of the remote-work era, arrived at the same conclusion from a different direction.—
Nick Lichtenberg,
Fortune,
29 May 2026
-
Emergency officials warned the public to avoid any wreckage that might wash ashore and to instead call 911.—
Marcia Dunn,
Los Angeles Times,
29 May 2026
Noun
-
Programming includes theatrical performances, poetry readings and concerts staged inside and around ancient ruins — a setting that is impossible to replicate at any other time of year, since most of these sites are not open after dark on ordinary days.—
Hanna Wickes,
Sacbee.com,
2 June 2026
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Ancient Lycian ruins often appear directly above the waterline, while small fishing villages remain largely unchanged by mass tourism.—
Katia Damborsky,
Forbes.com,
1 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Detritus.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/detritus. Accessed 8 Jun. 2026.
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