Definition of flotsamnext
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

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
  • Sweep the deck of debris, hose it down, and scrub any trouble spots with warm, soapy water.
    — Sophie Flaxman, Better Homes & Gardens, 24 Sep. 2026
  • The change also covers medical emergencies that are not the airline’s fault, the removal of unruly passengers, certain cyberattacks, and aircraft damage caused by extreme weather or debris.
    — Bailey Berg, Condé Nast Traveler, 24 Sep. 2026
Noun
  • 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
  • There is no construction equipment to clear the rubble in Gaza.
    — Isaac Chotiner, New Yorker, 21 Sep. 2026
Noun
  • After the wreckage was recovered from the ocean, the report said, an examination revealed that a bearing failed in the high-pressure fuel pump.
    — Jenny Jarvie Follow, Los Angeles Times, 23 Sep. 2026
  • Within minutes, Silverman and the ambulance arrived at a storage facility parking lot behind a large one-story commercial building to find LAPD officers grabbing fire extinguishers and dragging a man away from the burning wreckage.
    — Dalia Faheid, CNN Money, 20 Sep. 2026
Noun
  • As the lake dries, the ruins of one of 11 villages that had been inundated by the reservoir have emerged, as alarm grows over the need for alternative water supplies for the city of 42 million.
    — EDNA TARIGAN, Arkansas Online, 23 Sep. 2026
  • The vast majority of Palestinians continue to live in tent camps or ruins of their former homes.
    — Matthew Lee, Los Angeles Times, 23 Sep. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Flotsam.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/flotsam. Accessed 28 Sep. 2026.

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