shipwreck 1 of 2

noun

ˈship-ˌrek How to pronounce shipwreck (audio)
Definition of shipwrecknext
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

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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

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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

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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 shipwreck
Noun
Divers with a specialized unit of the Carabinieri, Italy’s military police, have uncovered a 2,000-year-old shipwreck on the ocean floor off the northwest coast of Sicily. — Leigh Anne Miller, ARTnews.com, 10 Aug. 2026 Divers have uncovered a Roman-era shipwreck that had remained untouched on the seabed off Sicily for more than 2,000 years, police on the Mediterranean island said. — Isabella Colletta, NBC news, 10 Aug. 2026
Verb
In 1623, Francis Bacon penned The New Atlantis, which recounts the rescue of sailors shipwrecked off of the eastern coast of South America. — Angelica Frey, JSTOR Daily, 28 Apr. 2026 Over Your Dead Body follows a married couple whose relationship is beyond shipwrecked. — David Sims, The Atlantic, 27 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for shipwreck
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shipwreck
  1. wrecking
  2. disaster
  3. wreck
  4. sinking
  5. catastrophe
  6. failure
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
Definition of wrecking
Noun
  • The baby’s father, Andres Garcia, survived the boat disaster, a law enforcement official briefed on the investigation told CNN.
    — Martin Goillandeau, CNN Money, 20 Aug. 2026
  • Rescuers continued recovering bodies from the artisanal mining site in Zamboye, near the border with Cameroon, but local workers said the response lacked the equipment and expertise needed for a disaster of such scale.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 20 Aug. 2026
Definition of disaster
Verb
  • Video from the scene showed the BMW wrecked along the front driver's side with the airbags deployed.
    — Doug Williams, CBS News, 19 Aug. 2026
  • The day marked their first day of high school and an astounding Hail Mary comeback for the Catholic school wrecked by a tornado June 11.
    — Carole Carlson, Chicago Tribune, 18 Aug. 2026
Definition of wreck
Noun
  • This is where the sinking of two 260-feet (80 meter) long, barges will be used to temporarily increase the water levels near the nuclear plant.
    — Ameya Paleja, Interesting Engineering, 17 Aug. 2026
  • The narrator has just suggested, facetiously, that someone should install a billboard-size digital counter in Times Square to keep track of Manhattan’s sinking.
    — Maya Binyam, New Yorker, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of sinking
Noun
  • Massive crude stockpiles before the war helped prevent catastrophe when supply dried up.
    — David Goldman, CNN Money, 17 Aug. 2026
  • As the summer of 2001 wears on through the lens of Kopple’s camera, our knowledge of the coming catastrophe casts a shadow over the proceedings.
    — Naomi Fry, New Yorker, 15 Aug. 2026
Definition of catastrophe
Noun
  • The failure by American and Canadian trade negotiators to reach a deal came after nearly two weeks of furious talks.
    — Steve Kopack, NBC news, 22 Aug. 2026
  • Ultimately Keegan’s team fell short, but this was no failure.
    — Michael Walker, New York Times, 22 Aug. 2026
Definition of failure

Browse Nearby Words

ships (out)
shipwreck
shipwrecked
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Cite this Entry

“Shipwreck.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shipwreck. Accessed 23 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on shipwreck

Nglish: Translation of shipwreck for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about shipwreck

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