as in disasters
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 shipwrecks
Chloe Berge, AFAR Media, 15 Oct. 2025
The area was given the name after shipwrecks full of treasure, beginning in the 1600s, occurred due to the reefs and isolated location, according to multiple sources.
—Ashley J. Dimella , Andrea Margolis, FOXNews.com, 6 Oct. 2025
The fleet encountered a hurricane off the coast of Eastern Florida in an area now known as the Treasure Coast — named for the fact that a large number of shipwrecks took place there — and all but one of the fleet’s approximately 12 ships were destroyed.
—Toria Sheffield, PEOPLE, 4 Oct. 2025
Between 1875 and 1975 the Great Lakes claimed a staggering 6,000 shipwrecks — that’s an average of one per week, for a century — yet most people can only name one.
—John U. Bacon, Rolling Stone, 30 Sep. 2025
A number of ancient shipwrecks have been discovered in the Mediterranean Sea, with 2,000-year-old Roman terracotta jars found in the remains of a ship found off the coast of Italy in 2023, a Greek merchant ship discovered in 2018 off the Bulgarian coast and dozens more.
—Jasmine Laws, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Sep. 2025
The previous record was set in 2023 with 13 shipwrecks found.
—Caitlin Looby, jsonline.com, 22 Sep. 2025
If the organization succeeds, all shipwrecks will be found, Baillod said.
—Taylor Nicioli, CNN Money, 17 Sep. 2025
Lake Michigan is home to the most shipwrecks of all the Great Lakes, data shows, but that's attributable to the lake's status as a commercial shipping hub between cities of Chicago, Gary, Indiana, and Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and ports on other Great Lakes or even international destinations.
—Jenna Prestininzi, Freep.com, 10 Sep. 2025
Brittany Allen, Literary Hub, 27 Aug. 2025
Noun
Driftwood tent shelters appear marooned like shipwrecks, and the beach is scattered with the bones of the giant whales.
—Chloe Berge, AFAR Media, 15 Oct. 2025
The area was given the name after shipwrecks full of treasure, beginning in the 1600s, occurred due to the reefs and isolated location, according to multiple sources.
—Ashley J. Dimella , Andrea Margolis, FOXNews.com, 6 Oct. 2025
The fleet encountered a hurricane off the coast of Eastern Florida in an area now known as the Treasure Coast — named for the fact that a large number of shipwrecks took place there — and all but one of the fleet’s approximately 12 ships were destroyed.
—Toria Sheffield, PEOPLE, 4 Oct. 2025
Between 1875 and 1975 the Great Lakes claimed a staggering 6,000 shipwrecks — that’s an average of one per week, for a century — yet most people can only name one.
—John U. Bacon, Rolling Stone, 30 Sep. 2025
A number of ancient shipwrecks have been discovered in the Mediterranean Sea, with 2,000-year-old Roman terracotta jars found in the remains of a ship found off the coast of Italy in 2023, a Greek merchant ship discovered in 2018 off the Bulgarian coast and dozens more.
—Jasmine Laws, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Sep. 2025
The previous record was set in 2023 with 13 shipwrecks found.
—Caitlin Looby, jsonline.com, 22 Sep. 2025
If the organization succeeds, all shipwrecks will be found, Baillod said.
—Taylor Nicioli, CNN Money, 17 Sep. 2025
Lake Michigan is home to the most shipwrecks of all the Great Lakes, data shows, but that's attributable to the lake's status as a commercial shipping hub between cities of Chicago, Gary, Indiana, and Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and ports on other Great Lakes or even international destinations.
—Jenna Prestininzi, Freep.com, 10 Sep. 2025
Verb
Two married sea-explorers are stranded, Gilligan-style, after a storm shipwrecks their craft.
—Brittany Allen, Literary Hub, 27 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shipwrecks
Noun
-
The findings offer a new perspective on one of history’s most famous military disasters.—
Aamir Khollam,
Interesting Engineering,
24 Oct. 2025
-
Its experts worked hard to prepare for a variety of disasters, such as a freak weather event, a terrorist attack, or an airplane accidentally crashing into a reactor.—
Simon Shuster,
Time,
23 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
That sport is so incredible and wrecks your body.—
Glenn Garner,
Deadline,
23 Oct. 2025
-
Messy data wrecks forecasts, distorts reporting and wastes time.—
Thasha Batts,
Forbes.com,
15 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
For decades, conservation organizations have been working to restore oyster populations in the bay, accruing data along the way to learn from successes and failures.—
JSTOR Daily,
JSTOR Daily,
31 Oct. 2025
-
But like all investments, there are risks, and Ng has had some spooky failures.—
Chris Lau,
CNN Money,
31 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
In the book, Malahy detailed the numerous catastrophes that surrounded the months spent filming the movie, a loose adaptation of Joseph Conrad's 1899 novella, Heart of Darkness, in the Philippines.—
Angela Andaloro,
PEOPLE,
25 Oct. 2025
-
For me, the experience is moving—like a glimmer of wild hope amid a conservation landscape dominated by the looming catastrophes to come of climate change.—
Eric J. Wallace,
Outside,
24 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
There’s often a focus on resilience, or the the ability to bounce back from disappointments and challenges, especially during times of transition or change.—
Ana Homayoun,
CNBC,
27 Oct. 2025
-
The 1-6 Miami Dolphins may be one of the biggest disappointments in the NFL this season.—
Michael Gallagher,
MSNBC Newsweek,
25 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Shipwrecks.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shipwrecks. Accessed 6 Nov. 2025.
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