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
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
Jennifer Edwards Baker, Cincinnati Enquirer, 5 Mar. 2026
Earthlings aren't the only ones safe from a city-wrecking-size asteroid.
—Robin George Andrews, Scientific American, 5 Mar. 2026
Listed at 6-3 and 315 pounds, the ultra-athletic Woods is the prototype for a game-wrecking defensive tackle.
—Peter Sblendorio, New York Daily News, 23 Feb. 2026
From tiny insects like flies and butterflies at the edge of the frame, to large mountains, clouds full of rain, even great wrecking machines — everything is animated with precision and beauty.
—Murtada Elfadl, Variety, 18 Feb. 2026
But the $1 million community project fund brought by Lee to the borough won't be used to hire contractors and their wrecking crews.
—Tory Wegerski, CBS News, 17 Feb. 2026
Now, the great hyperscalers are wrecking their balance sheets.
—Jim Cramer, CNBC, 15 Feb. 2026
The brand nails high-quality essentials that look luxe without wrecking your travel budget.
—Claire Gallam, Travel + Leisure, 11 Feb. 2026
Pop legend Taylor Swift’s friends and lovers (ahem, Travis Kelce) can’t stop breaking her chairs and wrecking her house.
—Katie Schultz, Architectural Digest, 6 Feb. 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
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
Earthlings aren't the only ones safe from a city-wrecking-size asteroid.
—Robin George Andrews, Scientific American, 5 Mar. 2026
Listed at 6-3 and 315 pounds, the ultra-athletic Woods is the prototype for a game-wrecking defensive tackle.
—Peter Sblendorio, New York Daily News, 23 Feb. 2026
From tiny insects like flies and butterflies at the edge of the frame, to large mountains, clouds full of rain, even great wrecking machines — everything is animated with precision and beauty.
—Murtada Elfadl, Variety, 18 Feb. 2026
But the $1 million community project fund brought by Lee to the borough won't be used to hire contractors and their wrecking crews.
—Tory Wegerski, CBS News, 17 Feb. 2026
Now, the great hyperscalers are wrecking their balance sheets.
—Jim Cramer, CNBC, 15 Feb. 2026
The brand nails high-quality essentials that look luxe without wrecking your travel budget.
—Claire Gallam, Travel + Leisure, 11 Feb. 2026
Pop legend Taylor Swift’s friends and lovers (ahem, Travis Kelce) can’t stop breaking her chairs and wrecking her house.
—Katie Schultz, Architectural Digest, 6 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for wrecking
Noun
-
Robert had shown a potential for self-destructive as early as 2015, after a car wreck that then-wife Edith Carradine later alleged had not been an accident.—
Theresa Braine,
New York Daily News,
11 Mar. 2026
-
Schorsch thinks that Fishback has succeeded, at least, in sucking up the oxygen in the campaign, if only in the manner of a car wreck.—
Dan Adler,
Vanity Fair,
11 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
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
-
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
-
The beams would be far brighter than the full moon and, even if carefully pointed, would scatter in the atmosphere to be very bright off-beam, disrupting wildlife and effectively destroying the sky’s remaining natural beauty by erasing the stars from our sight.—
Phil Plait,
Scientific American,
6 Mar. 2026
-
An estimated 50,000 pounds of ice collapsed the sanctuary roof, destroying nearly everything.—
Marvin Hurst,
CBS News,
6 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
The Coast Guard and Massachusetts Environmental Police are investigating the sinking of the Yankee Rose.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
7 Mar. 2026
-
The sinking killed at least 87 sailors.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
6 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
However, closed airspace in the war zone is still stranding many, including Oliver Sims.—
Carolyn Gusoff,
CBS News,
5 Mar. 2026
-
Retaliatory strikes by Iran have directly hit the Dubai, Bahrain, Abu Dhabi, and Kuwait airports over the last two days, stranding hundreds of thousands of travelers and causing a ripple effect of flight cancelations throughout Europe and Africa.—
Laura Bassett,
Condé Nast Traveler,
4 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Trump has long mocked Bush for ruining his presidency by invading Iraq, and his administration over the past week has sought to downplay any parallels between Bush’s misadventures and its own attack on Iran.—
Vivian Salama,
The Atlantic,
6 Mar. 2026
-
The White House believed that that Iran was intentionally ruining the Mideast peace process, and then-House Speaker Newt Gingrich had called Iran the most dangerous nation on Earth.—
Brit McCandless Farmer,
CBS News,
28 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
The arena, which would host sports, concerts and other events, is is expected to cost around $242 million to build, though the entire renovation, which includes demolishing the 58-year-old Millet Hall and installing parking near Cook Field, could cost up to $281 million.—
Victoria Moorwood,
Cincinnati Enquirer,
27 Feb. 2026
-
Other possibilities involve demolishing the structure for street-level transit or repurposing it as a pedestrian and bicycle trail.—
David Bauerlein,
Florida Times-Union,
26 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
From thunderous victory to shattering downfall, this play delivers sweeping action sequences, political intrigue, and a theatrical experience that hits with the force of a battle drum.—
Cincinnati Enquirer,
Cincinnati Enquirer,
7 Mar. 2026
-
That burst of momentum came in a primary that was already shattering spending records.—
Nik Popli,
Time,
4 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Wrecking.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wrecking. Accessed 14 Mar. 2026.
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