1
as in wrecking
the destruction or loss of a ship
the shipwreck of much of the Spanish Armada ended Spain's plans for invading England
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in disaster
something that has failed
finally admitted that their marriage was a shipwreck and that the time had come to bail out
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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 shipwreck
Tribune News Service, San Diego Union-Tribune, 5 Apr. 2026
Its events range from a Central Florida spin on a famous shipwreck to a true crime of the 1990s.
—Dewayne Bevil, The Orlando Sentinel, 2 Apr. 2026
Caitlin Looby, jsonline.com, 20 Jan. 2026
In this film, the pups get shipwrecked on a mysterious dinosaur island.
—Lauren Brown West-Rosenthal, Parents, 1 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for shipwreck
Noun
On the shipwreck the hatches are fastened properly.
—Tribune News Service, San Diego Union-Tribune, 5 Apr. 2026
Its events range from a Central Florida spin on a famous shipwreck to a true crime of the 1990s.
—Dewayne Bevil, The Orlando Sentinel, 2 Apr. 2026
Verb
The park service first documented zebra mussels during a training dive at the SS Sevona shipwreck off the Sand Island shoal in 2015.
—Caitlin Looby, jsonline.com, 20 Jan. 2026
In this film, the pups get shipwrecked on a mysterious dinosaur island.
—Lauren Brown West-Rosenthal, Parents, 1 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for shipwreck
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shipwreck
Noun
-
At least, there was a lot less wrecking.—
Alex Zietlow,
Charlotte Observer,
13 Feb. 2026
-
The Ravens haven’t really had that game-wrecking pass rusher since Terrell Suggs was in his prime.—
The Athletic NFL Staff,
New York Times,
9 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Use a bag bungee Trying to balance a travel tote on top of a rolling suitcase is a disaster waiting to happen, especially when navigating crowded terminals.—
Samantha Leal,
Travel + Leisure,
18 Apr. 2026
-
When the smoke alarm stayed silent, one very loud dog made sure his family didn’t sleep through a disaster.—
Ryan Brennan,
Miami Herald,
17 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Then the game-wrecking interior defensive lineman had a down year coming off surgery for a dislocated elbow.—
Pat Leonard,
New York Daily News,
15 Apr. 2026
-
Cincinnati has been seeking a young, game-wrecking defensive tackle for nearly a decade.—
Paul Dehner Jr,
New York Times,
15 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
But this benchmark is likely to be exceeded by the year 2300 under a low-emissions scenario due to rising global temperatures and ground subsidence -- the gradual sinking of the ground -- the researchers said.—
Julia Jacobo,
ABC News,
16 Apr. 2026
-
In a spooky coincidence – or perhaps something more – the Titanic exhibit at the Volo museum flooded from Tuesday night's thunderstorms on the exact anniversary of the infamous ship's sinking.—
Sara Tenenbaum,
CBS News,
15 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The driver was arrested for operating while impaired and failure to stop and identify at a personal injury crash.—
DeJanay Booth-Singleton,
CBS News,
21 Apr. 2026
-
More recently, fans trying to buy tickets for major tours, like Taylor Swift, Beyoncé, BTS, Bruce Springsteen, and Harry Styles have faced sky-high prices, system failures, and a lack of real alternatives.—
Letitia James,
Rolling Stone,
21 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Shipwreck.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shipwreck. Accessed 23 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
