wrecks 1 of 2

plural of wreck
as in collisions
the violent coming together of two bodies into destructive contact a dangerous stretch of roadway that has been the scene of numerous car wrecks

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wrecks

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of wreck
1
as in shipwrecks
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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2
as in ruins
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

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 wrecks
Noun
Historians estimate that as many as 1,000 ships sank during the Middle Passage, but fewer than 20 of these wrecks have been documented. Amara Evering, Miami Herald, 11 July 2026 Back inside the courtroom, CBS New York reported that prosecutors alleged Bithorn had previously put her children in danger via her alleged alcoholism, including multiple car wrecks. Sean Neumann, PEOPLE, 30 June 2026 Bocas is blessed with more than a dozen excellent dive sites including underwater caves and pinnacles, reef walls, drift dive locations, and wrecks like the Barco Viejo and Mystic Wind. Joe Yogerst, Forbes.com, 25 June 2026 The most wrecks recorded that year were in June, according to the state transportation department. Hali Smith, Idaho Statesman, 18 June 2026 The Discovery Channel got involved in early 2026 and recruited Calvin Mires, a maritime archaeologist for Marine Imaging Technologies, who has worked on many World War II wrecks. Katie Hunt, CNN Money, 18 June 2026 Neighbors worried the venue would mean more congestion and wrecks and lower property values. Joe Marusak june 9, Charlotte Observer, 9 June 2026 The impact with Bell's Camry severely deformed the SAFER barrier, which is comprised of steel and foam to absorb energy in wrecks. CBS News, 8 June 2026 The impact with Bell’s Camry severely deformed the SAFER barrier, which is comprised of steel and foam to absorb energy in wrecks. ABC News, 7 June 2026
Verb
As is the case with the Delta Aquarids, the moon, only one day past full, unfortunately, wrecks any chances of getting any decent views this year. Joe Rao, Space.com, 18 July 2026 Those findings may sound like proof the job wrecks your hormones. Dr. Jamin Brahmbhatt, CNN Money, 16 July 2026 Kyle Busch wrecks Ron Hornaday under caution! Jeff Gluck, New York Times, 21 May 2026 The change launches biannual arguments about the practice, wrecks havoc on sleep and has inspired voters to go to California polls. Hannah Poukish, Sacbee.com, 7 Mar. 2026 In a film like this, you’re ostensibly meant to root against the terror that the central characters wrecks on his victims. Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 16 Jan. 2026 This process wrecks kidney and heart tissue, causing the heart to enlarge and blood vessels to become stiffer, impeding circulation and setting the stage for clots. Jyoti Madhusoodanan, Scientific American, 16 Dec. 2025 The larger dragon has two car launchers and a fire-breathing effect that wrecks passing cars. Clint Davis, PEOPLE, 27 Nov. 2025 That sport is so incredible and wrecks your body. Glenn Garner, Deadline, 23 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for wrecks
Noun
  • The collective radiation from these hydrogen atom collisions, in the form of light, heat, gamma rays and x-rays, slowly makes its way to the outer layer of a star.
    Mike Lynch, Twin Cities, 19 July 2026
  • Placing the heavy shielding and reactor components in the middle minimizes the physical stress caused by bending moments at sea and insulates the nuclear systems from external side-impact collisions.
    Aman Tripathi, Interesting Engineering, 18 July 2026
Verb
  • In Lord of the Flies by William Golding, young boys gradually become feral and sadistic when trapped on an island together, and in Shakespeare’s The Tempest, Prospero magically shipwrecks his brother and his allies so that they will all be exiled together under his watch.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 11 May 2026
Verb
  • Nothing ruins a great outfit like unsightly clothing wrinkles and stubborn creases.
    Kyra Surgent, InStyle, 18 July 2026
  • Then, the adults in the family attend a concert in the Borgholm Castle ruins.
    Meredith Kile, PEOPLE, 16 July 2026
Noun
  • The airport saw several fatal plane crashes in the early 2000s.
    Phil Diehl, San Diego Union-Tribune, 19 July 2026
  • Law enforcement officers also would be required to record those label details after crashes involving the vehicles, a change supporters say would produce more accurate crash data.
    Madison Smalstig July 18, Sacbee.com, 18 July 2026
Verb
  • The agreement follows years of uncertainty over the papers' future and scuttles a rival bid by the owner of the Daily Mail to buy the Telegraph titles.
    ABC News, ABC News, 6 Mar. 2026
  • This scuttles a compromise, whereby paintings of Lee in his prewar blue Army uniform could remain while the portrait of Lee the secessionist and enslaver came down.
    Time, Time, 5 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Zeus obliges, striking their ship with a thunderbolt that destroys it and kills every member of Odysseus’ crew except the king himself.
    Brianna Zigler, Entertainment Weekly, 20 July 2026
  • Zeus destroys Odysseus’ last ship, killing his crew and leaving Odysseus as the only survivor.
    Skyler Trepel, PEOPLE, 17 July 2026
Noun
  • Overall, Americans say road accidents pose the biggest threat to their safety, followed by crime and violence.
    Morgan Chalfant, semafor.com, 22 July 2026
  • Porro said many of the accidents involving e-bikes in the city were preventable.
    Nikiya Carrero, Miami Herald, 22 July 2026
Verb
  • The formula also prioritizes the actual hair strands with rosemary and biotinoyl tripeptide-1, which both help to strengthen strands to reduce breakage over time.
    Essence Wiley, InStyle, 13 June 2026
  • The aftermath of one of Otto’s decisions gives Beever as Léna some rich material to work through, but strands Machado-Graner to an extent, including in a short subplot that feels like it was plucked from an entirely different screenplay.
    Josh Slater-Williams, IndieWire, 20 May 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Wrecks.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wrecks. Accessed 25 Jul. 2026.

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