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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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

While old shipwrecks in the area aren’t uncommon, most have dated to roughly 2,000 to 1,500 years ago, during the Roman or Byzantine eras. — Adam Kovac, Scientific American, 15 Oct. 2026 The excavations were led by Hakan Öniz, a professor at Akdeniz University, Antalya, who told CNN that the shipwreck was first discovered four years ago. — Jack Guy, CNN Money, 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

Spain’s second high-speed rail disaster this year, in which one train struck another from behind, killing 69 people, has raised fresh concerns about the safety of the country’s rail network ahead of a national election.

— Joseph Wilson, Los Angeles Times, 29 Oct. 2026
The new rail disaster can't help the prospects of his Socialist party.

— ABC News, ABC News, 29 Oct. 2026

Definition of disaster

Noun

In Jakarta, the sinking and flooding has become so severe that Indonesia is building a brand-new capital city on the island of Borneo.

— Sanidhya Sharma, Scientific American, 30 Oct. 2026
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

Definition of sinking

Noun

Since Benson and her co-authors met in Oviedo, weather catastrophes have multiplied, oceans have acidified and the amount of carbon in the atmosphere has soared.

— Katie Worth, ProPublica, 30 Oct. 2026
But this latest catastrophe could clip the wings of any comeback.

— Vasco Cotovio, CNN Money, 29 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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“Shipwreck.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shipwreck. Accessed 4 Nov. 2026.

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Synonyms of shipwreck

noun

verb

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