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
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
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of wrecking
Seth Emerson, New York Times, 8 Oct. 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
Paul Dehner Jr, New York Times, 5 Jan. 2026
And can interest be reduced without wrecking your financial future?
—Angelica Leicht, CBS News, 5 Jan. 2026
And managed to wrecking-ball the entire operation, plus piss off all their Paris clients (save for Antoine), and forever destroy the sanctity of Solitano.
—Jessica M. Goldstein, Vulture, 18 Dec. 2025
Separate permits may be needed, too, for HVAC, electrical, wrecking, or other work.
—Matthew Glowicki, Louisville Courier Journal, 1 Dec. 2025
The brand nails high-quality essentials that look luxe without wrecking your travel budget.
—Claire Gallam, Travel + Leisure, 30 Nov. 2025
Her firm helped design boutique hotels in New Orleans post-Hurricane Katrina by shopping in many of the local architectural wrecking stores.
—Colleen McNally Arnett, Southern Living, 13 Nov. 2025
After those rules are broken, the gremlin spawns more of its kind and end up wrecking havoc on Billy’s hometown during Christmas.
—Rebecca Rubin, Variety, 6 Nov. 2025
Storm preparations Cuba has been struck almost yearly by a major hurricane in recent years, sometimes twice, wrecking the country’s already decrepit infrastructure, damaging crops and destroying thousands of homes in precarious condition.
—Nora Gámez Torres, Miami Herald, 27 Oct. 2025
Noun
The coaches also decided King’s wrecking-ball approach was effective.
—Seth Emerson, New York Times, 8 Oct. 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 one that is responsible, once and for all, for fixing a defense that’s been complicit in wrecking three straight seasons of Burrow, Chase and Higgins.
—Paul Dehner Jr, New York Times, 5 Jan. 2026
And can interest be reduced without wrecking your financial future?
—Angelica Leicht, CBS News, 5 Jan. 2026
And managed to wrecking-ball the entire operation, plus piss off all their Paris clients (save for Antoine), and forever destroy the sanctity of Solitano.
—Jessica M. Goldstein, Vulture, 18 Dec. 2025
Separate permits may be needed, too, for HVAC, electrical, wrecking, or other work.
—Matthew Glowicki, Louisville Courier Journal, 1 Dec. 2025
The brand nails high-quality essentials that look luxe without wrecking your travel budget.
—Claire Gallam, Travel + Leisure, 30 Nov. 2025
Her firm helped design boutique hotels in New Orleans post-Hurricane Katrina by shopping in many of the local architectural wrecking stores.
—Colleen McNally Arnett, Southern Living, 13 Nov. 2025
After those rules are broken, the gremlin spawns more of its kind and end up wrecking havoc on Billy’s hometown during Christmas.
—Rebecca Rubin, Variety, 6 Nov. 2025
Storm preparations Cuba has been struck almost yearly by a major hurricane in recent years, sometimes twice, wrecking the country’s already decrepit infrastructure, damaging crops and destroying thousands of homes in precarious condition.
—Nora Gámez Torres, Miami Herald, 27 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for wrecking
Noun
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Police charged a 50-year-old man with felony death by vehicle and driving while impaired in a fatal wreck in Gastonia on Wednesday night, court records show.—
Joe Marusak,
Charlotte Observer,
8 Jan. 2026
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According to the Texas Department of Transportation’s Fort Worth office, all westbound lanes of I-30 at Chapel Creek are closed due to the wreck.—
Zacharia Washington,
Dallas Morning News,
5 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Artificial reefs, created by scuttling ships, sinking oil rigs, or dropping rubble into the sea, have long been known to improve aquatic life, so perhaps these findings are unsurprising.—
Tom Chivers,
semafor.com,
19 Dec. 2025
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Pro tip Tack on a night at the Balmoral prior to the trip to avoid any travel snafus scuttling your voyage, and perhaps a few more on the back end to allow proper time to reacclimate.—
Jake Emen,
Robb Report,
18 Dec. 2025
Verb
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By the 1960s, gas flares and untreated waste spillage were destroying their forests.—
Stanley Stewart,
Travel + Leisure,
10 Jan. 2026
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And there is a risk of the parasites becoming dormant for years before reactivating and destroying a new cornea.—
Kristen Rogers,
CNN Money,
10 Jan. 2026
Noun
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Land subsidence is the sinking or collapsing of surface land due to the removal of things such as underground water, oil or gas.—
Center Square,
The Washington Examiner,
8 Jan. 2026
-
Rescuers found the first victim, the 12-year-old Spanish girl, three days later, floating near the northern waters of Serai island, fewer than a mile from the site of the sinking.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
4 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Legal limbo Xael Charter flights that are already booked for the holiday season faced cancellation, possibly stranding thousands of passengers in Cuba or in the US, the company said in its lawsuit.—
Daniel Rivero,
Miami Herald,
30 Dec. 2025
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Should Netflix prevail, WBD’s cable assets would be split off, effectively stranding the linear networks as the industry leader cannibalizes the content engine for its digital platform.—
Nick Lichtenberg,
Fortune,
29 Dec. 2025
Verb
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And, from this week’s issue, Nicola Twilley’s reporting on another lingering effect of the wildfires—smoke taint that is ruining grapes and threatening California’s wine industry.—
Dana Goodyear,
New Yorker,
7 Jan. 2026
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The video then shows the man asking if the situation was ruining Kaleel's Christmas.—
Jade Jackson,
IndyStar,
6 Jan. 2026
Verb
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The move came after the Office of County Administration released December cost estimates for demolishing the building and renovating it.—
John Lomax V,
Houston Chronicle,
7 Jan. 2026
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Fully reopening Leetsdale Drive is contingent on demolishing parts of the charred apartment complex that are still standing, Murphy said.—
Lauren Penington,
Denver Post,
6 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Yet for all of Malinin’s athleticism and his Beamonesque ability to take flight what has been most telling in what has already been a world record-shattering Olympic season has been the maturity of his skating, the willingness to take emotional risks in his programs.—
Scott M. Reid,
Oc Register,
6 Jan. 2026
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Bana and Rocha were among the 615 participants in the 27th annual Waukegan Polar Bear Plunge on Thursday at the Waukegan Municipal Beach, shattering the record of 540 set in 2024, and collectively raising more than $20,000 for Special Recreation Services of Northern Lake County.—
Steve Sadin,
Chicago Tribune,
5 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Wrecking.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wrecking. Accessed 12 Jan. 2026.
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