as in wreck
the destruction or loss of a ship
the wrecking of the freighter was one of the worst disasters ever on the Great Lakes
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in scuttling
to cause irreparable damage to (a ship) by running aground or sinking
many an unwary captain has wrecked his ship on the shoals that surround the island
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in destroying
to bring to a complete end the physical soundness, existence, or usefulness of
most of the furniture on the ground floor was wrecked by the floodwaters
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of 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
In one case, the life of an upper-class woman and contemporary of Julius Caesar, Clodia, saw her reputation destroyed by false claims of harlotry, home-wrecking, and husband-killing.
—
Time,
24 Nov. 2025
The addresses listed in the wrecking permits border the east of the truck plant where Ford makes its iconic Super Duty trucks, Expedition SUVs and luxury Lincoln Navigators.
—
Olivia Evans,
Louisville Courier Journal,
3 Oct. 2025
Leaving a dog at home alone can be nerve-wrecking for many owners, but pet-cam footage shows why Larry the greyhound's owner has nothing to worry about.
—
Alyce Collins,
MSNBC Newsweek,
18 Sep. 2025
The wrecking begins when Carey (Marvin), Paul’s best friend, ill-advisedly sleeps with Julie—and then, more ill-advisedly still, confesses it to Paul the next day.
—
Justin Chang,
New Yorker,
22 Aug. 2025
Gina Kalsi,
PEOPLE,
23 June 2026
What is in tandem here is the exuberantly generative possibility of life itself (SCOBY, water) alongside the very synthetic polymers that are literally wrecking life on an individual and systemic level.
—
Eugenie Brinkema,
ARTnews.com,
14 June 2026
Belt-Stubblefield did not stop and ended up wrecking his car.
—
Michael Abeyta,
CBS News,
6 June 2026
The kind of game-wrecking force that the Rams enjoyed playing behind during Aaron Donald’s tenure, and one the defense has missed since Donald’s retirement prior to the 2024 season.
—
Adam Grosbard,
Oc Register,
2 June 2026
Those teams already are wrecking the owners’ claims that baseball lacks competitive balance.
—
Ken Rosenthal,
New York Times,
27 May 2026
Junk yards and auto wrecking services will soon be paying $354 instead of $273 for their new license, and secondhand dealers will see reduced fees — paying $354 instead of $480.
—
Julie Gallant,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
26 May 2026
On 16 December 2021, typhoon Odette rang in a new chapter, wrecking the island and reducing much of the resort to rubble.
—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
18 May 2026
The animal begins wrecking the fields and terrorizing the people.
—
Perin Gürel,
The Conversation,
22 Apr. 2026
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
In one case, the life of an upper-class woman and contemporary of Julius Caesar, Clodia, saw her reputation destroyed by false claims of harlotry, home-wrecking, and husband-killing.
—
Time,
24 Nov. 2025
The addresses listed in the wrecking permits border the east of the truck plant where Ford makes its iconic Super Duty trucks, Expedition SUVs and luxury Lincoln Navigators.
—
Olivia Evans,
Louisville Courier Journal,
3 Oct. 2025
Leaving a dog at home alone can be nerve-wrecking for many owners, but pet-cam footage shows why Larry the greyhound's owner has nothing to worry about.
—
Alyce Collins,
MSNBC Newsweek,
18 Sep. 2025
The wrecking begins when Carey (Marvin), Paul’s best friend, ill-advisedly sleeps with Julie—and then, more ill-advisedly still, confesses it to Paul the next day.
—
Justin Chang,
New Yorker,
22 Aug. 2025
Verb
As many little heartbeats as possible, just running around, wrecking stuff in the house.
—
Gina Kalsi,
PEOPLE,
23 June 2026
What is in tandem here is the exuberantly generative possibility of life itself (SCOBY, water) alongside the very synthetic polymers that are literally wrecking life on an individual and systemic level.
—
Eugenie Brinkema,
ARTnews.com,
14 June 2026
Belt-Stubblefield did not stop and ended up wrecking his car.
—
Michael Abeyta,
CBS News,
6 June 2026
The kind of game-wrecking force that the Rams enjoyed playing behind during Aaron Donald’s tenure, and one the defense has missed since Donald’s retirement prior to the 2024 season.
—
Adam Grosbard,
Oc Register,
2 June 2026
Those teams already are wrecking the owners’ claims that baseball lacks competitive balance.
—
Ken Rosenthal,
New York Times,
27 May 2026
Junk yards and auto wrecking services will soon be paying $354 instead of $273 for their new license, and secondhand dealers will see reduced fees — paying $354 instead of $480.
—
Julie Gallant,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
26 May 2026
On 16 December 2021, typhoon Odette rang in a new chapter, wrecking the island and reducing much of the resort to rubble.
—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
18 May 2026
The animal begins wrecking the fields and terrorizing the people.
—
Perin Gürel,
The Conversation,
22 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for wrecking
Noun
-
Preservation advocates warn that selling wreck relics to private collectors risks turning a maritime grave into a billionaire trophy hunt, even as Titanic memorabilia command multimillion-dollar bids worldwide.
-
Trans-Atlantic dispute over the artifacts RMS Titanic wants to auction some of the first artifacts salvaged from the wreck.
Verb
-
The court complaint against the utilities commission and the California Attorney General’s office asks for a court order declaring that California cannot stop AT&T from scuttling landlines.
-
The rationale was that any war Israel fought would inflame popular anti-Israeli sentiment in the Arab and Muslim world, scuttling the Abraham Accords as Arab governments would withdraw out of fear of backlash.
Verb
-
That second blaze burned charred 23,500 acres in that community, Malibu and elsewhere, killing 12 people and destroying or damaging more than 7,500 homes and businesses.
-
These kinds of old negatives are often stored inside cans and are so fragile they can’t be unrolled without destroying them, Seales says.
Noun
-
Finding the wreck Official records detailing Hōfuku Maru’s sinking were incomplete and inconsistent, Beckensall said.
-
Actual sinking exercises provide valuable data on structural damage, flooding, shock effects, and sinking behaviour.
Verb
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In Mississippi, Highway 49 was covered with up to three feet of water, stranding cars, local officials reported to the weather service.
-
Schlittler allowed four hits and exited to a standing ovation after stranding two runners in the sixth.
Verb
-
The Cowboys are like most NFL teams that roll out a synthetic surface that has a grass feel, and is vastly superior to the old knee-ruining ways of AstroTurf.
-
The Dodgers are ruining baseball!
Verb
-
But everyday people expressed their political outrage time and again, throwing rocks at and demolishing the houses of government officials, torching the king’s ships and forts and, eventually, marching to battle.
-
During that 25-day closure, PennDOT crews will be demolishing the existing Commercial Street Bridge and sliding in the new bridge, which has been constructed alongside the Parkway East outside of the Squirrel Hill Tunnel.
Verb
-
The brand was already the most searched name on Ulta’s site before the line expanded to the retailer’s 1,500-plus doors in February, shattering sales records and becoming the chain’s largest brand launch ever.
-
Ratings from the opening match went through the roof, shattering records.
Cite this Entry
“Wrecking.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wrecking. Accessed 27 Jun. 2026.
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