as in debris
the portion or bits of something left over or behind after it has been destroyed
the dispirited family picked through the flotsam of their possessions after the hurricane, looking for anything that could be salvaged
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of flotsam
The Chicago Park District dispatched crews to clear the beaches and ran out of places to put the foul flotsam.
—
Theodore J. Karamanski, Chicago Tribune, 6 Feb. 2026
And the Heat’s supporting players at the moment are far better than the flotsam and jetsam that currently are with the Bucks.
—Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 30 Jan. 2026
Through displaying the flotsam, Corinn Flaherty hopes to raise people’s awareness about marine pollution.
—David Chiu, PEOPLE, 25 Nov. 2025
Without forward Jalen Johnson healthy, the Hawks failed to emerge out of the play-in tournament flotsam this past spring.
—Alex Kirschenbaum, MSNBC Newsweek, 17 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for flotsam
Theodore J. Karamanski, Chicago Tribune, 6 Feb. 2026
And the Heat’s supporting players at the moment are far better than the flotsam and jetsam that currently are with the Bucks.
—Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 30 Jan. 2026
Through displaying the flotsam, Corinn Flaherty hopes to raise people’s awareness about marine pollution.
—David Chiu, PEOPLE, 25 Nov. 2025
Without forward Jalen Johnson healthy, the Hawks failed to emerge out of the play-in tournament flotsam this past spring.
—Alex Kirschenbaum, MSNBC Newsweek, 17 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for flotsam
Recent Examples of Synonyms for flotsam
Noun
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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
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Remove any loose bits of food and debris from the smoker and removable components.—
Maria Sabella,
The Spruce,
4 June 2026
Noun
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Was it rescued from the rubble of another fire?—
Sneha Dhandapani,
CNN Money,
30 May 2026
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The Wells Fargo office was turned to rubble and extensive damage to buildings could be found for blocks.—
Kurt Snibbe,
Oc Register,
29 May 2026
Noun
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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
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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
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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
“Flotsam.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/flotsam. Accessed 5 Jun. 2026.
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