WRECKAGE Synonyms: 86 Similar and Opposite Words

wreckage

noun

ˈre-kij

Definition of wreckage

as in devastation

the state or fact of being rendered nonexistent, physically unsound, or useless the wreckage of those ancient statues represents a great loss to the art world

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in rubble

the portion or bits of something left over or behind after it has been destroyed the wreckage of the cathedral was kept as a memorial and as a reminder of war's terrible cost

Synonyms & Similar Words

as in wrecking

the destruction or loss of a ship debris floated ashore for weeks after the wreckage

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 wreckage Search and rescue teams found the wreckage in Aeneas Valley, Washington, near Tonasket, Washington, according to the release. — ABC News, 12 Oct. 2026 The debris field of the crash extended about 30 feet around the main wreckage. — Dean Fioresi, CBS News, 7 Oct. 2026 The wreckage is on National Park Service land, and would be considered federal property. — Mark Price, Charlotte Observer, 28 Sep. 2026 The video on Iranian state television follows the length of a long underground chamber, lined on both sides by tables heaving with wreckage of American military drones. — Scott Peterson, Christian Science Monitor, 25 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for wreckage

Recent Examples of Synonyms for wreckage

Noun

Whatever one believes about the allegations against the couple, the devastation of watching an academic and media career disintegrate in real time is difficult to dismiss.

— Shamira Ibrahim, Vulture, 12 Oct. 2026
Category 3 storms are considered major hurricanes and are capable of causing devastation.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 10 Oct. 2026

Definition of devastation

Noun

Her body was found while clearing rubble and fighting a fire at the site, Tymur Tkachenko, head of the regional military administration, said Friday.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 10 Oct. 2026
Earlier, Davut Gul, the governor of Istanbul, said rescuers had made contact with a 6-year-old trapped in the rubble.

— ABC News, ABC News, 8 Oct. 2026

Definition of rubble

Noun

Although television coverage suggested the capital had escaped the widespread structural destruction visible in communities closer to the epicenter, the earthquake caused major disruptions to daily life.

— Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 9 Oct. 2026
In the heady satire about elites causing worldwide climate destruction, Cruise plays the titular Digger Rockwell, an out-of-touch oil tycoon.

— Jason P. Frank, Vulture, 9 Oct. 2026

Definition of destruction

Noun

Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle pledged another $8 million to continue clearing debris from south suburban areas affected by the August storms.

— Jeremy Gorner, Chicago Tribune, 9 Oct. 2026
The seemingly never-ending saga in the 600 block of Martel Avenue, just south of Melrose Avenue, came to a head in April 2024, when city crews removed seven tons of trash and debris that attracted rodents and a host of insects.

— CBS News, CBS News, 8 Oct. 2026

Definition of debris

Noun

Ishibashi makes for a resilient and empathetic Junna, even as her character inevitably bears the brunt of much of the film’s divisive moralizing, while Emoto’s Morio is a quivering wreck of fragility and good intentions.

— Guy Lodge, Variety, 11 Oct. 2026
That Stage 1 wreck was one of many difficult moments for playoff drivers through the afternoon.

— Charlotte Observer, Charlotte Observer, 11 Oct. 2026

Definition of wreck

Noun

The Misfits Complementing spring’s embrace of graphic havoc is an intriguing offness of fit, as seen at Jil Sander, Givenchy, and Lii.

— Laird Borrelli-Persson, Vogue, 14 Oct. 2026
Deleting a second has never previously been attempted and could create havoc in today’s digitally time-stamped world.

— Katie Hunt, CNN Money, 13 Oct. 2026

Definition of havoc

Noun

Gaza was reduced to ruins, and its people were trapped in a cycle of loss and suffering, as the conflict continued to rage.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 13 Oct. 2026
This chapter is accompanied by somewhat twee images of an owl doll, a bottle of designer perfume, a high heel, and a golden microphone positioned against various ancient Greek ruins, including the Parthenon and the Monument of the Eponymous Heroes.

— Stephanie Wambugu, Vulture, 12 Oct. 2026

Definition of ruins

Browse Nearby Words

wreck

wreckage

wreckages

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Style

“Wreckage.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wreckage. Accessed 16 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of wreckage

noun

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