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
Relevance
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
Jupiter’s location in the path of the Gulf Stream means there’s a constant flow of tropical water that improves the ocean’s clarity and visibility by carrying out any algae, flotsam, or runoff that accumulates.
—
Tara Massouleh McCay, Southern Living, 20 May 2025
That Jia could make anything out of that flotsam and jetsam is astonishing, but his ability to not only recreate those time frames but craft all of it into a woozy, free-floating memory piece is miraculous.
—David Fear, Rolling Stone, 9 May 2025
But that pick should be something the Kings can leverage, along with the second-round selections in some trade flotsam down the road.
—Zach Harper, The Athletic, 3 Feb. 2025
Federal officials and experts are warning that the winds and floodwaters from Helene that wrecked the Southeast carry unscrupulous fraudsters amid the flotsam.
—Michael Loria, USA TODAY, 2 Oct. 2024
See All Example Sentences for flotsam
Tara Massouleh McCay, Southern Living, 20 May 2025
That Jia could make anything out of that flotsam and jetsam is astonishing, but his ability to not only recreate those time frames but craft all of it into a woozy, free-floating memory piece is miraculous.
—David Fear, Rolling Stone, 9 May 2025
But that pick should be something the Kings can leverage, along with the second-round selections in some trade flotsam down the road.
—Zach Harper, The Athletic, 3 Feb. 2025
Federal officials and experts are warning that the winds and floodwaters from Helene that wrecked the Southeast carry unscrupulous fraudsters amid the flotsam.
—Michael Loria, USA TODAY, 2 Oct. 2024
See All Example Sentences for flotsam
Recent Examples of Synonyms for flotsam
Noun
-
The planet-wide dust storms are so fierce that the debris often does not settle for months at a time.—
Alex Morris,
Rolling Stone,
15 June 2025
-
Be careful when handling debris that may have blown into your yard.—
CA Weather Bot,
Sacbee.com,
14 June 2025
Noun
-
On Wednesday, emergency workers pulled more bodies from the rubble of a nine-story Kyiv apartment building demolished by a Russian attack earlier this week, raising the death toll from the strike on the capital to 28.—
James Jordan,
Chicago Tribune,
19 June 2025
-
Israeli flags stand amid rubble and destruction in a residential area of Rishon LeZion, Israel on June 14, 2025.—
Dan Perry,
MSNBC Newsweek,
18 June 2025
Noun
-
Sole apparent survivor of Air India crash walks away from wreckage If a plane's tail section sheers off, a seat closer to the front will typically be safer.—
USA TODAY STAFF,
USA Today,
14 June 2025
-
According to Braithwaite, this relative position in relation to the wreckage may have been a key factor.—
Soo Kim,
MSNBC Newsweek,
13 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Flotsam.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/flotsam. Accessed 29 Jun. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share