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
There’s a lot of trivia and bits and bobs of flotsam that get in there.
—
Nick Hilden,
Rolling Stone,
24 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
Nick Hilden,
Rolling Stone,
24 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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The heat softens and loosens debris in the carpet fibers so it can be vacuumed away.
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Clean Up Birdseed and Debris Fallen birdseed and other organic debris serve as an open invitation to chipmunks.
Noun
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Some held torches to light the way as floodlights appeared to illuminate the rubble against the darkness of night.
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Rescuers have fanned out across La Guaira, where the worst destruction occurred, and parts of Caracas, where families and volunteers have spent days pulling survivors and victims from the rubble.
Noun
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Yet the praise for Alcock feels like watching a plane crash and seeing just one person get miraculously thrown clear of the wreckage without a scratch.
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Many Venezuelans were combing through wreckage in search of loved ones, while others turned to social media in an effort to find relatives and friends who had vanished in the disaster.
Noun
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Unable to leave, residents rely on each other In another neighborhood, a view of the brilliant deep blue of the Mediterranean, a block away, framed the ruins of what had been a famous creamery – Karrit Ice Cream.
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And then the next issue became the funeral, instead of just Scott and Jean hanging out in the ruins.
Cite this Entry
“Flotsam.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/flotsam. Accessed 29 Jun. 2026.
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