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
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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
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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
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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
Perin Gürel, The Conversation, 22 Apr. 2026
The tornado left a trail of damage in Hillsdale, Kansas, Monday night, wrecking an RV park, toppling power lines, leveling homes and destroying a storage facility near West 255th Street.
—Kendrick Calfee, Kansas City Star, 16 Apr. 2026
Then the game-wrecking interior defensive lineman had a down year coming off surgery for a dislocated elbow.
—Pat Leonard, New York Daily News, 15 Apr. 2026
Cincinnati has been seeking a young, game-wrecking defensive tackle for nearly a decade.
—Paul Dehner Jr, New York Times, 15 Apr. 2026
The brand nails high-quality essentials that look luxe without wrecking your travel budget.
—Claire Gallam, Travel + Leisure, 4 Apr. 2026
But here’s the thing — ignoring your gutters is one of the fastest ways to turn a free weekend project into a budget-wrecking emergency repair.
—Lauren Jarvis-Gibson, Miami Herald, 31 Mar. 2026
The episode about Secret Squirrel and the perils of surveillance culture feels more relevant than ever, as does the climate-change episode in which the time-traveling Jetson family sues people of the present for wrecking their future.
—Eric Vilas-Boas, Vulture, 18 Mar. 2026
Elsewhere, a driver was rescued after calling 911 when her Chevy sedan stalled in high water, wrecking just off the road in Morgan Township, according to dispatchers.
—Jennifer Edwards Baker, Cincinnati Enquirer, 5 Mar. 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
The animal begins wrecking the fields and terrorizing the people.
—Perin Gürel, The Conversation, 22 Apr. 2026
The tornado left a trail of damage in Hillsdale, Kansas, Monday night, wrecking an RV park, toppling power lines, leveling homes and destroying a storage facility near West 255th Street.
—Kendrick Calfee, Kansas City Star, 16 Apr. 2026
Then the game-wrecking interior defensive lineman had a down year coming off surgery for a dislocated elbow.
—Pat Leonard, New York Daily News, 15 Apr. 2026
Cincinnati has been seeking a young, game-wrecking defensive tackle for nearly a decade.
—Paul Dehner Jr, New York Times, 15 Apr. 2026
The brand nails high-quality essentials that look luxe without wrecking your travel budget.
—Claire Gallam, Travel + Leisure, 4 Apr. 2026
But here’s the thing — ignoring your gutters is one of the fastest ways to turn a free weekend project into a budget-wrecking emergency repair.
—Lauren Jarvis-Gibson, Miami Herald, 31 Mar. 2026
The episode about Secret Squirrel and the perils of surveillance culture feels more relevant than ever, as does the climate-change episode in which the time-traveling Jetson family sues people of the present for wrecking their future.
—Eric Vilas-Boas, Vulture, 18 Mar. 2026
Elsewhere, a driver was rescued after calling 911 when her Chevy sedan stalled in high water, wrecking just off the road in Morgan Township, according to dispatchers.
—Jennifer Edwards Baker, Cincinnati Enquirer, 5 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for wrecking
Noun
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The researchers did not have archaeological documentation of most of the wrecks before the project.—
Amarachi Orie,
CNN Money,
22 Apr. 2026
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Officials worked with Mi’kmaw archaeological technicians alongside both underwater and terrestrial archaeologists to excavate and document the wreck, adapting their methods to Sable Island's shifting sands.—
Andrea Margolis,
FOXNews.com,
20 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Downstairs, a styling session for the fall 2026 collection; up here, on the fourth floor, almost every inch of space is taken by patternmakers, bolts of fabric, designers scuttling about, and racks and more racks of clothes.—
Maya Singer,
Vogue,
8 Apr. 2026
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Paramount cliched its $31-a-share in cash merger for WBD on February 27, scuttling Warner’s previous agreement with Netflix.—
Jill Goldsmith,
Deadline,
7 Apr. 2026
Verb
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As Miles manages to lift up Lily and get her out of there, MPKs start hurling flash-bangs, destroying the Ed Baldwin shrine and shooting a couple of protesters in the process.—
Sophie Brookover,
Vulture,
24 Apr. 2026
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Ukrainian forces are systematically striking Russian oil refineries, pipelines, and storage facilities over 600 miles inside Russia, destroying tens of billions in infrastructure and disrupting Moscow’s war finances.—
Hanna Arhirova,
Los Angeles Times,
23 Apr. 2026
Noun
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But this benchmark is likely to be exceeded by the year 2300 under a low-emissions scenario due to rising global temperatures and ground subsidence -- the gradual sinking of the ground -- the researchers said.—
Julia Jacobo,
ABC News,
16 Apr. 2026
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In a spooky coincidence – or perhaps something more – the Titanic exhibit at the Volo museum flooded from Tuesday night's thunderstorms on the exact anniversary of the infamous ship's sinking.—
Sara Tenenbaum,
CBS News,
15 Apr. 2026
Verb
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As long as the Cubs are forced to rely on less proven arms while manager Craig Counsell navigates usage and injuries, preventing big innings by stranding runners is an important piece of the pitching staff’s effectiveness.—
Meghan Montemurro,
Chicago Tribune,
24 Apr. 2026
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Key moment The Twins were unable to cash in on a pair of walks in the top of the eighth inning, stranding the bases loaded when Luke Keaschall popped up to the catcher in foul territory.—
Betsy Helfand,
Twin Cities,
23 Apr. 2026
Verb
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These tenacious insects discreetly land on your skin, leaving sudden, itchy, and painful bites that can swell and turn red, ruining a perfectly pleasant outdoor evening.—
Louise Parks,
Martha Stewart,
18 Apr. 2026
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While the couple was able to laugh it off in the moment, the majority of comments on TikTok were negative, with people accusing Zach of being an attention-seeker and ruining the wedding.—
Ashlyn Robinette,
PEOPLE,
17 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Those sweaters have so much mojo, as shown by Allen just demolishing what looked to be a Corona.—
Matt Reigle OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
22 Apr. 2026
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And the city has further rules around demolishing older buildings, passed in late 2024.—
Chris Higgins,
Kansas City Star,
22 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The following week at the San Jose Invitational, Wilkins broke his own world record on three consecutive throws, shattering the 70-meter and 230-feet barriers along the way.—
Scott M. Reid,
Oc Register,
17 Apr. 2026
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The actress said that one night, her daughter, Luca, 28, witnessed her shattering framed photos of herself and Abrams and then using the glass shards to self-harm.—
Hannah Sacks,
PEOPLE,
14 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Wrecking.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wrecking. Accessed 27 Apr. 2026.
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