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
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
So the Nets basically have one year and one offseason to turn this random assortment of flotsam into a credible NBA roster.
—John Hollinger, New York Times, 8 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for flotsam
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
So the Nets basically have one year and one offseason to turn this random assortment of flotsam into a credible NBA roster.
—John Hollinger, New York Times, 8 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for flotsam
Recent Examples of Synonyms for flotsam
Noun
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Drone debris also fell on a roof of a residential building in the city of Samara, wounding a number of people, Fedorishchev said.—
Hanna Arhirova,
Los Angeles Times,
23 Apr. 2026
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Do not burn debris or other items during an air quality alert.—
NC Weather Bot,
Charlotte Observer,
23 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Her body was only retrieved from the rubble hours later, rescue workers said.—
Sean Nevin,
NBC news,
24 Apr. 2026
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The kids who were rescued from the rubble at Briarwood now are in their late teens and early 20s.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
24 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Volunteers with Fetch Foster Rescue mobilized to track down cats, dogs and other animals left stranded, separated from their owners or trapped in the wreckage.—
Samantha Agate,
Miami Herald,
23 Apr. 2026
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Crews reopened some lanes to traffic until the wreckage could be towed.—
Karen Kucher,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
21 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Mak’s wife, Kit Chan, 74, likened their home to ruins.—
Kanis Leung,
Los Angeles Times,
20 Apr. 2026
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Drone video shows the southern Lebanese town of Bint Jbeil in ruins following the Israel Defense Force's strikes on the area.—
Will Clark,
NBC news,
20 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Flotsam.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/flotsam. Accessed 26 Apr. 2026.
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