1
as in garbage
discarded or useless material
the unsightly debris left after mining operations had ceased
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in rubble
the portion or bits of something left over or behind after it has been destroyed
the demolition workers cleared away all of the debris from the demolished building
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of debris
Multiple aircraft, cutters and small boats searched 1,047 square miles over 24 hours, finding debris near the location where the EPIRB was activated, along with one body and an unoccupied life raft that had been deployed.
—
Alexandra Koch, FOXNews.com, 4 Feb. 2026
Increase cleaning frequency for high-touch surfaces and floors to reduce germs and remove tracked-in dirt and debris.
—Katie Cloyd, Martha Stewart, 4 Feb. 2026
In their natural habitat outdoors, termites and carpenter ants are beneficial, recycling woody debris and returning nutrients to the soil.
—Arricca Elin Sansone, Southern Living, 4 Feb. 2026
Police said the bystander was a man who was struck by debris from the collision and sustained non-life-threatening injuries.
—City News Service, Daily News, 4 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for debris
Alexandra Koch, FOXNews.com, 4 Feb. 2026
Increase cleaning frequency for high-touch surfaces and floors to reduce germs and remove tracked-in dirt and debris.
—Katie Cloyd, Martha Stewart, 4 Feb. 2026
In their natural habitat outdoors, termites and carpenter ants are beneficial, recycling woody debris and returning nutrients to the soil.
—Arricca Elin Sansone, Southern Living, 4 Feb. 2026
Police said the bystander was a man who was struck by debris from the collision and sustained non-life-threatening injuries.
—City News Service, Daily News, 4 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for debris
Recent Examples of Synonyms for debris
Noun
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And the magic elixir is able to turn garbage into Jan Ravnik, Swift's pinup backup dancer.—
Bryan West,
USA Today,
6 Feb. 2026
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Every winter, construction machines work around the clock to clear tons of garbage — plastic, furniture, medical waste — clogging the Drina River.—
Eldar Emric,
Los Angeles Times,
5 Feb. 2026
Noun
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The ceasefire also called for an immediate influx of humanitarian aid, including equipment to clear rubble and rehabilitate infrastructure.—
Sam Metz,
Chicago Tribune,
6 Feb. 2026
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However, state regulators don't trust those results because some of the rubble is blocked from being tested.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
6 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Fox News Digital took photos of the nearby camps — which contain piles of junk, such as clothes, open containers, boxes, bags and trash.—
Michael Ruiz , Adriana James-Rodil,
FOXNews.com,
13 Feb. 2026
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Get rid of trash now, Alaniz urged, to reduce the amount that needs to be moved later.—
Doug Ross,
Chicago Tribune,
13 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Since well before Larry David came along, celebrities have been breaking their own life’s fourth wall and finding comedy among the wreckage.—
Megan Garber,
The Atlantic,
12 Feb. 2026
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The Pentagon declined to provide further detail, including about the possible wreckage of the drone.—
Leslie Josephs,
CNBC,
11 Feb. 2026
Noun
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How Often To Clean Linoleum Floors For general cleaning, Marla Mock, president of Molly Maid, recommends removing dust and debris in high-traffic areas daily using a dry microfiber mop.—
Daley Quinn,
Southern Living,
8 Feb. 2026
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Simply take a soft cloth with a mild cleaner and give them a wipe—both to remove dust and grime, and to clear off any lingering germs that might hop from person to person.—
Ashley Chalmers,
The Spruce,
8 Feb. 2026
Noun
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The place was used for wild beast hunts, public executions, and gladiator fights for several hundred years, then became a condo of sorts as medieval Romans made their homes in the hulking ruins.—
Katie Parla,
Condé Nast Traveler,
9 Feb. 2026
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While family members viewed the ruins stored at Veterans Park, construction crews were working on the site directly across the street.—
Sofia Saric,
Miami Herald,
5 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Piles of human scraps offer a bottomless buffet to wildlife, and to access that bounty, animals need to be bold enough to rummage through human rubbish but not so bold as to become a threat to people.—
Marina Wang,
Scientific American,
14 Nov. 2025
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Helga once wrestled down a drunk fisherman in the Café, a man of above-average size, and then threw him out like a piece of rubbish; Jens thus transfers most of his weight automatically to her; who is this kid, by the way?—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
10 Nov. 2025
Noun
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Other ideas include thrift store shopping, country line dancing, roller skating, karaoke, junk journaling, and getting manicures and pedicures.—
Alicia Rancilio,
Fortune,
9 Feb. 2026
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In uncertain markets, some investors like junk silver because the coins are widely trusted, easy to authenticate and often easy to sell in small increments.—
Angelica Leicht,
CBS News,
9 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Debris.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/debris. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.
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