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
There was debris scattered across the pavement after the crash, including a pink bag and a water bottle.
—
Anna Meiler, CBS News, 2 Apr. 2026
Recent floods had heaved mountains of driftwood and debris onto the shorelines.
—Joe Cermele, Outdoor Life, 2 Apr. 2026
Ancient lava fields can be seen as dark lunar maria marring the silvery lunar surface, which themselves are threaded with bright streaks of reflective debris strewn across the surface by violent asteroid strikes.
—Anthony Wood, Space.com, 2 Apr. 2026
Your tech cleans up and removes all debris to finish the job.
—Dan Simms, USA Today, 2 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for debris
Anna Meiler, CBS News, 2 Apr. 2026
Recent floods had heaved mountains of driftwood and debris onto the shorelines.
—Joe Cermele, Outdoor Life, 2 Apr. 2026
Ancient lava fields can be seen as dark lunar maria marring the silvery lunar surface, which themselves are threaded with bright streaks of reflective debris strewn across the surface by violent asteroid strikes.
—Anthony Wood, Space.com, 2 Apr. 2026
Your tech cleans up and removes all debris to finish the job.
—Dan Simms, USA Today, 2 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for debris
Recent Examples of Synonyms for debris
Noun
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Richter and Henke said the best way to avoid confrontations with coyotes is to eliminate food sources, whether by not feeding them directly, bringing pet food indoors or securing garbage.—
Miriam Fauzia,
Dallas Morning News,
26 Mar. 2026
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No matter how advanced the algorithm, garbage data in means garbage results out, just with a more polished interface.—
Matt Emma,
USA Today,
25 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
On Saturday morning, piles of bricks and mud were all that were left, along with blankets, cooking utensils and other personal belongings salvaged from the rubble and set into a pile.—
Elena Becatoros,
Los Angeles Times,
4 Apr. 2026
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Tangled pieces of barbed wire, reams of rubble and fallen concrete scarred the skyline in Karaj, western Iran, on Friday, after the US military bombed a major new bridge under construction.—
Leila Gharagozlou,
CNN Money,
3 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Kansas City uses this money to pay for basic city services, like fire fighting, snow plowing and trash collecting.—
Eleanor Nash,
Kansas City Star,
4 Apr. 2026
-
Officials remind the public to report aggressive wildlife immediately, always supervise children outdoors, keep pets on a leash and close by and avoid leaving food or trash accessible.—
Chelsea Hylton,
CBS News,
3 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Iranian officials told civilians to be on the lookout for survivors and have flooded social media with images that purport to show wreckage from the aircraft.—
Janet Loehrke,
USA Today,
4 Apr. 2026
-
The vehicle smashed through barricades and concrete, racing down a hallway before becoming lodged in the twisted wreckage.—
Gayle Pearlstein,
The Washington Examiner,
3 Apr. 2026
Noun
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This model is also the brand’s most durable yet, boasting an extreme IP69 rating for water and dust resistance, paired with a versatile triple 50MP camera system that captures professional-grade detail across wide, ultra-wide, and telephoto shots.—
Juhi Wadia,
PC Magazine,
29 Mar. 2026
-
Gusty winds up to 40 mph could create areas of blowing dust along major interstates.—
Rey Covarrubias Jr,
AZCentral.com,
29 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
During his visit, Willick had gone to the site of the attack and surveyed the ruins, which were strewn with children’s drawings and broken crayons.—
Eyal Press,
New Yorker,
30 Mar. 2026
-
With Walker Monfort in charge, president of baseball operations Paul DePodesta and GM Josh Byrnes have been entrusted to excavate the Rockies from the ruins.—
Troy Renck,
Denver Post,
27 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
For many centuries and probably longer, the seas and oceans of the world have been used as a source of food but also as an enormous dumping ground for all sorts of rubbish.—
Christopher McFadden,
Interesting Engineering,
25 Mar. 2026
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The study confirmed direct dumping by boats, with evidence of bags full of rubbish thrown overboard.—
Ryan Brennan,
Kansas City Star,
10 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Jones is an elite defender who can score through doubles and junk defenses, and is lethal from 3, shooting 41% from distance in her career.—
Kyle Newman,
Denver Post,
29 Mar. 2026
-
Take your household trash out back, set it on fire, and whoosh, all that junk was smoke, and no longer your problem.—
Patt Morrison,
Los Angeles Times,
26 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Debris.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/debris. Accessed 6 Apr. 2026.
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