1
as in wreckage
the portion or bits of something left over or behind after it has been destroyed
found the wreck of the ship lying on the floor of the ocean
Synonyms & Similar Words
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2
3
as in collision
the violent coming together of two bodies into destructive contact
a dangerous stretch of roadway that has been the scene of numerous car wrecks
Synonyms & Similar Words
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2
as in to ruin
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Recent Examples of wreck
Matthew Kayser,
Miami Herald,
25 June 2026
Trans-Atlantic dispute over the artifacts RMS Titanic wants to auction some of the first artifacts salvaged from the wreck.
—
CBS News,
23 June 2026
Paige Williams,
New Yorker,
22 June 2026
Just across the Mississippi River in Avondale, Louisiana, a tornado wrecked four homes, Jefferson Parish spokeswoman Rachel Strassel said.
—
CBS News,
19 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for wreck
Noun
As recent South Florida pileups have shown, disputes over who started a wreck can become the entire legal fight when a 51% fault-finding means the difference between compensation and walking away empty-handed.
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Matthew Kayser,
Miami Herald,
25 June 2026
Trans-Atlantic dispute over the artifacts RMS Titanic wants to auction some of the first artifacts salvaged from the wreck.
—
CBS News,
23 June 2026
Verb
Dragging a vehicle can wreck the transmission and any number of other things.
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Paige Williams,
New Yorker,
22 June 2026
Just across the Mississippi River in Avondale, Louisiana, a tornado wrecked four homes, Jefferson Parish spokeswoman Rachel Strassel said.
—
CBS News,
19 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for wreck
Recent Examples of Synonyms for wreck
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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At least, there was a lot less wrecking.
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The Ravens haven’t really had that game-wrecking pass rusher since Terrell Suggs was in his prime.
Noun
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Leaving the scene of a property-damage collision can result in misdemeanor charges, fines and other penalties.
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Under California’s vehicle code, hit-and-run collisions that lead to property damage but no injuries are classified as misdemeanors.
Verb
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His obsession with the SAVE America Act has already scuttled the reauthorization of a surveillance tool and nearly ruined GOP efforts to increase immigration enforcement spending.
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Crabs scuttle across the seafloor as water ripples around your feet.
Verb
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However, for some, gambling is an addiction that can ruin lives and families.
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After all, plenty of cocktail enthusiasts already complain about mosquitoes ruining a summer evening.
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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The military declared McKinney dead in March 1946, though no crash site had been identified, let alone any remains of the man from Providence, Rhode Island.
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The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection said it was not notified of the crash, according to local reports.
Verb
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In Lord of the Flies by William Golding, young boys gradually become feral and sadistic when trapped on an island together, and in Shakespeare’s The Tempest, Prospero magically shipwrecks his brother and his allies so that they will all be exiled together under his watch.
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Unique experiences include shipwreck scuba diving in the Straits of Mackinac and checking out the sights from the stunning Castle Rock viewpoint.
Cite this Entry
“Wreck.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wreck. Accessed 6 Jul. 2026.
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