SHIPWRECK Synonyms: 61 Similar and Opposite Words

shipwreck 1 of 2

noun

ˈship-ˌrek

Definition of shipwreck

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

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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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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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

Noun

Hakan Öniz, who led the underwater excavation, said the shipwreck dates back to when the Great Pyramid of Giza was being constructed. — ABC News, 14 Oct. 2026 Archaeologists have discovered the world's oldest shipwreck off the coast of Turkey, dating it to between 4,400 and 4,700 years old. — Archie Clarke, CBS News, 14 Oct. 2026

Verb

Unique experiences include shipwreck scuba diving in the Straits of Mackinac and checking out the sights from the stunning Castle Rock viewpoint. — Katy Spratte Joyce, Travel + Leisure, 9 May 2026 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 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

Definition of wrecking

Noun

Residents, meanwhile, can give firefighters the best shot at stopping a potential disaster by clearing flammable vegetation in their yards and fire-hardening their homes.

— Noah Haggerty, Los Angeles Times, 22 Oct. 2026
The goal, ultimately, is not to eat our way out of an ecological disaster.

— Victoria Malloy, Time, 21 Oct. 2026

Definition of disaster

Verb

Just as Bryan’s own ascent began, alcoholism almost wrecked his fellow Oklahoma heroes, Turnpike Troubadours.

— Grayson Haver Currin, Pitchfork, 20 Oct. 2026
Some people make money, some people use the buzz to shore up a brand, and some people get their lives wrecked, but who falls into this last category comes down to bad luck more than to justice.

— B. D. McClay, New Yorker, 19 Oct. 2026

Definition of wreck

Noun

Miss Wolcott’s Ghost by Louise Penny The largest is the sinking of a luxury ocean liner called the Empress of Ireland in 1914, in which 1,012 lives were lost off the coast of Canada.

— Lisa Henricksson, Air Mail, 17 Oct. 2026
As Brolin’s character explains in one of the film’s flashbacks, a whale fall is the marine biology term used to describe the death and sinking of a whale, and the delicate ecological dance that ensues.

— David Mack, CNN Money, 15 Oct. 2026

Definition of sinking

Noun

Without an authoritative accounting, Eisenkot argues, the country cannot fully reckon with the catastrophe.

— Eric Cortellessa, Time, 25 Oct. 2026
Retreating Iraqi forces set fire to hundreds of oil wells in Kuwait creating an environmental catastrophe felt throughout the Gulf.

— Paula Hancocks, CNN Money, 23 Oct. 2026

Definition of catastrophe

Noun

Even if Theranos had a functioning testing machine, the economic model on which is was based would result in failure.

— Torie Bosch, STAT, 24 Oct. 2026
Even among voters who want Republicans to retain control, 17% cited weak AI and data center oversight — second only to a failure to bring down prices.

— Luke Fountain, CNBC, 24 Oct. 2026

Definition of failure

Browse Nearby Words

ships (out)

shipwreck

shipwrecked

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Style

“Shipwreck.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shipwreck. Accessed 26 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of shipwreck

noun

verb

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