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
1
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
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Recent Examples of wreck
Jake King-Schreifels, Time, 15 May 2026
Police at the time said the golfer was forced to climb through his car’s passenger-side window to escape the wreck.
—Jessica Schladebeck, New York Daily News, 14 May 2026
Emma Tucker, CNN Money, 6 May 2026
Elliott, who started 14th, had already taken the white flag when John Hunter Nemechek wrecked in the back of the field after contact with Kyle Busch.
—ABC News, 3 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for wreck
Noun
Advertisement Throughout the narrative, Johnson never flinches in his portrayal of the wreck, unleashing footage of investigators approaching the car and the victims’ families.
—Jake King-Schreifels, Time, 15 May 2026
Police at the time said the golfer was forced to climb through his car’s passenger-side window to escape the wreck.
—Jessica Schladebeck, New York Daily News, 14 May 2026
Verb
Police found Berry’s vehicle, along with personal items inside, wrecked in the driveway – but Berry was not at the home, the warrant says.
—Emma Tucker, CNN Money, 6 May 2026
Elliott, who started 14th, had already taken the white flag when John Hunter Nemechek wrecked in the back of the field after contact with Kyle Busch.
—ABC News, 3 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for wreck
Recent Examples of Synonyms for wreck
Noun
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Rescuers work at the wreckage of an Ethiopian Airlines aircraft east of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, on March 10, 2019.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
14 May 2026
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The indictment also charges Synergy with violations of the Clean Water Act and other environmental laws due to river pollution from debris from the wreckage of both the ship and the bridge.—
Glenn Taylor,
Footwear News,
13 May 2026
Noun
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At least, there was a lot less wrecking.—
Alex Zietlow,
Charlotte Observer,
13 Feb. 2026
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The Ravens haven’t really had that game-wrecking pass rusher since Terrell Suggs was in his prime.—
The Athletic NFL Staff,
New York Times,
9 Jan. 2026
Noun
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The court was told that Paul and her 10-month-old son were in one of the seven cars involved in the collision, resulting in the baby sustaining a broken leg, per Toronto Sun and CBC.—
Gabrielle Rockson,
PEOPLE,
15 May 2026
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Shortly after coming off the bench, James Maddison went down in pain following a collision with Newcastle winger Anthony Elanga.—
Jay Harris,
New York Times,
15 May 2026
Verb
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That left no margin for error for a series of relievers navigating a bullpen game, which the Reds scuttled in the middle innings.—
Matt Kawahara,
Houston Chronicle,
10 May 2026
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Hilton and Bianco want to scuttle the project.—
Seema Mehta,
Los Angeles Times,
7 May 2026
Verb
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Since 2015, it has been held in ten different cities, including Las Vegas, where a red carpet was constructed atop the Bellagio’s fountain pool, and Nashville, where rowdy attendees ruined bachelorette parties on Broadway.—
Dan Greene,
New Yorker,
18 May 2026
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Many riads were in a state of disrepair, crammed with striking examples of traditional craftsmanship going to ruin.—
Rebecca Ann Hughes,
Forbes.com,
15 May 2026
Noun
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Meanwhile, about a kilometre away, workers began clearing debris from the old site of the primary-care center, making room for a permanent replacement.—
Clayton Dalton,
New Yorker,
15 May 2026
-
Try to find a place that will block blowing or falling debris.—
CA Weather Bot,
Sacbee.com,
14 May 2026
Noun
-
Highway 85 was closed in both directions in Commerce City during the morning commute on Wednesday due to a deadly crash involving five vehicles.—
Jennifer McRae,
CBS News,
20 May 2026
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Founder John Giovanazzi survived industry crashes and fickle trends by cultivating young crowds seeking dangerous, hard-to-find sounds.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
20 May 2026
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.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
11 May 2026
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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.—
Katy Spratte Joyce,
Travel + Leisure,
9 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Wreck.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wreck. Accessed 22 May. 2026.
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