as in debris
the portion or bits of something left over or behind after it has been destroyed
the dispirited family picked through the flotsam of their possessions after the hurricane, looking for anything that could be salvaged
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of flotsam
There’s a lot of trivia and bits and bobs of flotsam that get in there.
—
Nick Hilden,
Rolling Stone,
24 Feb. 2026
Jupiter’s location in the path of the Gulf Stream means there’s a constant flow of tropical water that improves the ocean’s clarity and visibility by carrying out any algae, flotsam, or runoff that accumulates.
—
Tara Massouleh McCay,
Southern Living,
6 Feb. 2026
And the Heat’s supporting players at the moment are far better than the flotsam and jetsam that currently are with the Bucks.
—
Ira Winderman,
Sun Sentinel,
30 Jan. 2026
Through displaying the flotsam, Corinn Flaherty hopes to raise people’s awareness about marine pollution.
—
David Chiu,
PEOPLE,
25 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for flotsam
Nick Hilden,
Rolling Stone,
24 Feb. 2026
Jupiter’s location in the path of the Gulf Stream means there’s a constant flow of tropical water that improves the ocean’s clarity and visibility by carrying out any algae, flotsam, or runoff that accumulates.
—
Tara Massouleh McCay,
Southern Living,
6 Feb. 2026
And the Heat’s supporting players at the moment are far better than the flotsam and jetsam that currently are with the Bucks.
—
Ira Winderman,
Sun Sentinel,
30 Jan. 2026
Through displaying the flotsam, Corinn Flaherty hopes to raise people’s awareness about marine pollution.
—
David Chiu,
PEOPLE,
25 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for flotsam
Recent Examples of Synonyms for flotsam
Noun
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Rodríguez denied those claims, saying some remote areas were difficult to reach because roads were blocked by landslides and debris, forcing authorities to rely on motorcycles, drones and satellite imagery.
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Seconds later, a powerful explosion blasted through the doorway, shattering windows and sending vertical blinds and debris flying as firefighters quickly retreated from the building.
Noun
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And, as the country and its people begin to piece together the full toll of the destruction amid the rubble, the notion of playing baseball seems absurd in the wake of such tragedy.
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Residential buildings were badly damaged in the assault, leaving people trapped in multi-story apartment blocks and an entire family that was killed pulled from the rubble, while cars were seen burning on city streets.
Noun
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Reaching the wreckage proved difficult as emergency workers, backed by paramilitary forces, climbed down a steep mountainside to the ravine up to 25 meters (80 feet) deep.
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According to the operator, the pilot used a small clipboard to record load notes and fuel calculations, but that clipboard was not found in the wreckage, investigators said.
Noun
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As a reminder, the Mission San Juan Capistrano tour ends at the ruins of what’s now called the Great Stone Church, which collapsed in an 1812 earthquake that killed 40 Acjachemen worshippers.
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The engineer flew in from Tampa to try and find her mother, sister, brother-in-law and nephew in the ruins of their nine-story apartment building, sleeping on the ground since arriving two nights ago.
Cite this Entry
“Flotsam.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/flotsam. Accessed 6 Jul. 2026.
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