Synonyms of shipwreck

shipwreck 1 of 2

noun

ˈship-ˌrek 

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

• wrecking
• wreck
• sinking
• shipwrecking
• wreckage
• stranding
• beaching
• foundering
• grounding
• scuttling

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• recovery
• salvage
• salvaging

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

• disaster
• catastrophe
• failure
• disappointment
• bust
• loser
• bomb
• fiasco
• washout
• flop
• debacle
• lemon
• miss
• frost
• clinker
• mess
• dud
• clunker
• turkey
• has-been
• fizzle
• bummer
• dog
• shambles
• also-ran
• botch
• hash
• near miss
• muddle
• nonevent
• nonstarter

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• success
• hit
• winner
• blockbuster
• smash
• phenomenon
• corker
• crackerjack
• dandy
• jim-dandy

shipwreck

2 of 2

verb

as in to wreck

to cause irreparable damage to (a ship) by running aground or sinking

the yachtsman fell asleep at the wheel and shipwrecked his ketch on the rocks

Synonyms & Similar Words

• wreck
• scuttle
• beach
• strand
• founder

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• recover
• salvage

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of shipwreck

Noun

For centuries, the only wood suitable for building houses on the island was the driftwood that washed up from shipwrecks and distant forests. — Amelia Soth, JSTOR Daily, 15 July 2026

The Mary Rose holds the world record for most medieval weaponry ever recovered from a shipwreck. — Encyclopedia Britannica, 15 July 2026

Verb

Over Your Dead Body follows a married couple whose relationship is beyond shipwrecked. — David Sims, The Atlantic, 27 Apr. 2026

In 1543 several Portuguese were shipwrecked on the island of Tanega, off southern Kyushu. — Encyclopedia Britannica, 2 Apr. 2026