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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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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Recent Examples of shipwreck
Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 29 July 2025
Adventurous divers will enjoy exploring the HTMS Chang wreck, Thailand’s most famous and largest shipwreck dive site.
—Asia London Palomba, Travel + Leisure, 19 July 2025
Amarachi Orie, CNN Money, 2 May 2025
Sawai's Mariko serves as a critical interpreter between the powerful Lord Yoshii Toranaga and an Englishman shipwrecked in Japan, John Blackthorne.
—Kimmy Yam, NBC News, 6 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for shipwreck
Noun
Quick fact: How Belgian shipwrecks are protected Shipwrecks in Belgium’s part of the North Sea that are more than 100 years old are automatically classified as cultural heritage.
—Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 29 July 2025
Adventurous divers will enjoy exploring the HTMS Chang wreck, Thailand’s most famous and largest shipwreck dive site.
—Asia London Palomba, Travel + Leisure, 19 July 2025
Verb
Historical sources had recorded that two Danish slave vessels were shipwrecked off the coast of Central America in 1710: The Fridericus Quartus was set on fire, while the anchor rope of the Christianus Quintus was cut and the ship was swept away.
—Amarachi Orie, CNN Money, 2 May 2025
Sawai's Mariko serves as a critical interpreter between the powerful Lord Yoshii Toranaga and an Englishman shipwrecked in Japan, John Blackthorne.
—Kimmy Yam, NBC News, 6 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for shipwreck
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shipwreck
Noun
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During times of year when there are fewer weather disasters, the agency receives fewer calls and can choose to spend less money staffing call centers.—
Rebecca Hersher,
NPR,
7 Aug. 2025
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When a data disaster occurs, many IT professionals and system administrators focus on selecting powerful data recovery software or hiring professional services.—
Chongwei Chen,
Forbes.com,
7 Aug. 2025
Verb
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The chief said the suspect wrecked the vehicle before taking a Volkswagen from a car dealership.—
Greg Wehner,
FOXNews.com,
11 Aug. 2025
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Houses and sections of a port have been wrecked or swept out to sea.—
Robin George Andrews,
Scientific American,
30 July 2025
Noun
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They've often been viewed as criminals, or their deportations as a failure.—
Lauren Villagran,
USA Today,
18 Aug. 2025
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That’s also why sitcoms like The Office or Brooklyn Nine-Nine can handle surprisingly deep topics, including grief, failure and identity, without leaving you feeling drained.—
Mark Travers,
Forbes.com,
17 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Shipwreck.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shipwreck. Accessed 21 Aug. 2025.
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