plural debris
də-ˈbrēz 
dā-ˈbrēz,
ˈdā-ˌbrēz,
British usually ˈde-(ˌ)brēz
1
: the remains of something broken down or destroyed
digging through the storm's debris in search of survivors
sifted through the debris of her broken marriage
2
geology
: an accumulation of fragments of rock
3
: something discarded : rubbish
picking up debris after the parade
Examples of debris in a Sentence
After the earthquake, rescuers began digging through the debris in search of survivors.
Everything was covered by dust and debris.
Recent Examples on the Web
Any burn scar areas will be especially prone to dangerous flash flooding which could trigger debris flows and mudslides.
—
Nadine El-Bawab, ABC News, 20 Sep. 2025
During the test, the robot successfully traverses randomly placed debris, ascends, and descends steps without difficulty.
—Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 19 Sep. 2025
Mud and debris flows impacted multiple homes and covered roads across the area, about 80 miles east of Los Angeles, San Bernardino County Fire said.
—Chris Dolce, CNN Money, 19 Sep. 2025
Wige has reportedly spent years removing debris from the waters of Willow Beach.
—Angel Saunders, PEOPLE, 19 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for debris
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.
Nadine El-Bawab, ABC News, 20 Sep. 2025
During the test, the robot successfully traverses randomly placed debris, ascends, and descends steps without difficulty.
—Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 19 Sep. 2025
Mud and debris flows impacted multiple homes and covered roads across the area, about 80 miles east of Los Angeles, San Bernardino County Fire said.
—Chris Dolce, CNN Money, 19 Sep. 2025
Wige has reportedly spent years removing debris from the waters of Willow Beach.
—Angel Saunders, PEOPLE, 19 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for debris
Cite this Entry
“Debris.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/debris. Accessed 24 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
Medical Definition
debris
noun
de·bris
də-ˈbrē, dā-ˈ, ˈdā-ˌ, British usually ˈdeb-(ˌ)rē
plural debris
: organic waste from dead or damaged tissue
a wound obscured by blood and debris—Emergency Medicine
Emergency MedicineLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share