Thesaurus results for FLOTSAM

flotsam

noun

ˈflät-səm

Definition of flotsam

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of flotsam Here in the famous Festival Theatre, the sprite Ariel, played in splendidly sprightly fashion by Marissa Orjalo, opens up the top of a piano, a piece of island flotsam and Prospero, in the form of the veteran actor Geraint Wyn Davies, shoves his coat inside, throws up his hands and closes the lid. — Chris Jones, Chicago Tribune, 26 June 2026 The writer thinks that the person seducing the main character is just some flotsam, hardly worth a second look. — Literary Hub, 26 June 2026 Crews remain onsite 24/7, monitoring the dam's condition and clearing flotsam from its gates. — CBS News, 24 Apr. 2026 There’s a lot of trivia and bits and bobs of flotsam that get in there. — Nick Hilden, Rolling Stone, 24 Feb. 2026 See All Example Sentences for flotsam

Recent Examples of Synonyms for flotsam

Noun

The whole satellite network needs to be resilient to space debris.

— Peter Hall, Scientific American, 1 Oct. 2026
And even more monsters can be found in sculptural works such as LeRage (2017), which shows a grayscale version of the Incredible Hulk smashing his fist into the ground and sending debris flying.

— Alex Greenberger, ARTnews.com, 30 Sep. 2026

Definition of debris

Noun

Two women in Zaporizhzhia died when they were trapped beneath the rubble of their home, Zaporizhzhia’s regional military administration said.

— ABC News, ABC News, 26 Sep. 2026
Rescue crews with a sniffer dog were searching the rubble for potentially missing people, the fire department said.

— Lefteris Pitarakis, Los Angeles Times, 25 Sep. 2026

Definition of rubble

Noun

The Egan Maritime Institute said its exhibits and collections manager would survey the site and send a report to state underwater archaeologists, who then will work with the institute to determine which vessel the wreckage came from.

— CBS News, CBS News, 29 Sep. 2026
The institute’s exhibits and collections manager and the state’s underwater archaeologists will work to determine which vessel the wreckage came from.

— Leah Willingham, Los Angeles Times, 29 Sep. 2026

Definition of wreckage

Noun

Hikers will uncover Romanesque ruins, ancient forests, crumbling monasteries, and orange groves along their way.

— Olivia Morelli, Condé Nast Traveler, 29 Sep. 2026
But a more apt comparison might be the Mirabilia Urbis Romae, in which Medieval scholars deciphered the staggering ruins of Classical Rome.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 29 Sep. 2026

Definition of ruins

Browse Nearby Words

flotillas

flotsam

flounce

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“Flotsam.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/flotsam. Accessed 5 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of flotsam

noun

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