wrecks 1 of 2

Definition of wrecksnext
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
But the law does not make finding the cause for wrecks less blurry. Doug Turnbull, AJC.com, 5 Apr. 2026 The crash was just the latest in a series of incidents involving auto wrecks and drugs for the golfer. Dan Mangan, CNBC, 31 Mar. 2026 While traditionally believed not to be a problem (unless visiting wrecks or ammo dumps), awareness is now growing that the sunken munitions could pose a serious environmental risk. Christopher McFadden, Interesting Engineering, 25 Mar. 2026 Wendy’s wandering eye wrecks rehearsals. Cincinnati Enquirer, 7 Mar. 2026 The wrecks sparked conversations in cities across the metro about how to approach traffic safety improvements overall, not just for e-bike users. Kendrick Calfee, Kansas City Star, 5 Mar. 2026 Industrial wrecks such as the old Studebaker factory are in the process of becoming data centers and office parks. Graeme Wood, The Atlantic, 3 Mar. 2026 And the sense of reverence for the wrecks is palpable, especially in those who choose to explore these watery historical sites. Brian Higgins, Outside, 2 Mar. 2026 Neighbors worried the venue would mean more congestion and wrecks and lower property values. Joe Marusak, Charlotte Observer, 27 Feb. 2026
Verb
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 Messy data wrecks forecasts, distorts reporting and wastes time. Thasha Batts, Forbes.com, 15 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for wrecks
Noun
  • None of the four fatal crashes occurred within the project’s limits, but four separate collisions in the half-mile stretch have killed people since 2017.
    Chris Fusco. Story produced with AI assistance, Sacbee.com, 11 Apr. 2026
  • Airport officials didn't respond immediately to questions about what happened and what procedures are in place to prevent collisions.
    ABC News, ABC News, 10 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • Two married sea-explorers are stranded, Gilligan-style, after a storm shipwrecks their craft.
    Brittany Allen, Literary Hub, 27 Aug. 2025
Verb
  • Jeff then immediately ruins the stakes-building tension by launching into an interminable Applebee’s ad.
    Rebecca Alter, Vulture, 2 Apr. 2026
  • One drop of red dye ruins the whole thing.
    Charles Trepany, USA Today, 24 Mar. 2026
Noun
  • When insurance adjusters examined the roadway where the crashes were happening, there were no obvious hazards—like faulty lighting or an especially steep grade—that could account for this newfound profusion.
    Patrick Radden Keefe, New Yorker, 13 Apr. 2026
  • Roadway speed cameras have been proven to reduce speeding by 31% to 82% and fatal crashes by 53% to 71%, according to the Los Angeles Department of Transportation.
    Andrew J. Campa, Los Angeles Times, 12 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • Besides the occasional random spider that scuttles indoors, some spiders can live in out-of-the-way spots in your home, such as along ceilings or in basements and behind clutter.
    Arricca Elin SanSone, Southern Living, 2 Apr. 2026
  • 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
Verb
  • For those who know the play well, some of Mantello’s choices are most striking, especially the horror here of the famous hotel-room scene with a tawdry lover (brutally played by Katherine Romans), an act born of loneliness that destroys a father’s relationship with his son forever.
    Chris Jones, New York Daily News, 10 Apr. 2026
  • Alzheimer’s disease, a brain disorder that slowly destroys memory and thinking skills, affects more than 6 million Americans, most of them age 65 or older.
    Khloe Quill, FOXNews.com, 9 Apr. 2026
Noun
  • Boating accidents are common in India, where many vessels are overcrowded and have inadequate safety equipment.
    ABC News, ABC News, 10 Apr. 2026
  • Knowles keeps the atmosphere leaden when the story surfaces in the present, in which Willy is 63, fraying with disappointment and banged up from several car crashes out on his long runs — events that his family is starting to fear aren’t accidents.
    Sara Holdren, Vulture, 10 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • Then there’s the murky void of David Zinn’s set, which strands the characters up until the final scene in New England apartments and hotel rooms rendered entirely in black.
    Sara Holdren, Vulture, 7 Apr. 2026
  • The film stars Ryan Gosling as a middle-school science teacher who ends up on a mission to save mankind that strands him in space by himself.
    Brian Truitt, USA Today, 20 Mar. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Wrecks.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wrecks. Accessed 15 Apr. 2026.

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