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
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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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of wreck
Joe Marusak, Charlotte Observer, 16 Sep. 2025
These include a Nunavut man’s firsthand account of discovering the wreck of the HMS Terror, one of British Captain John Franklin’s two doomed mid-19th-century expedition ships, which became trapped in ice before sinking off the southwest coast of King William Island.
—Robin Catalano, AFAR Media, 15 Sep. 2025
Joe Reid, Vulture, 16 Sep. 2025
Adam Berry/Getty Images What To Know Phoenix police said in a release to media that a 19-year-old was detained after wrecking a memorial for Kirk at the office of Turning Point USA, the conservative campus group that Kirk co-founded.
—Robert Birsel, MSNBC Newsweek, 15 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for wreck
Noun
Opponent Charles Minnick urged the board to cut the number of homes to keep more cars off wreck-prone, two-lane roads nearby.
—Joe Marusak, Charlotte Observer, 16 Sep. 2025
These include a Nunavut man’s firsthand account of discovering the wreck of the HMS Terror, one of British Captain John Franklin’s two doomed mid-19th-century expedition ships, which became trapped in ice before sinking off the southwest coast of King William Island.
—Robin Catalano, AFAR Media, 15 Sep. 2025
Verb
Skarsgard plays his real-life vigilante as both righteous and naïve, angry at the corporate greed that has helped wreck his life but almost childlike in his devotion to the radio host (Colman Domingo) who could help get his message out.
—Joe Reid, Vulture, 16 Sep. 2025
Adam Berry/Getty Images What To Know Phoenix police said in a release to media that a 19-year-old was detained after wrecking a memorial for Kirk at the office of Turning Point USA, the conservative campus group that Kirk co-founded.
—Robert Birsel, MSNBC Newsweek, 15 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for wreck
Recent Examples of Synonyms for wreck
Noun
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What To Know Warsaw said that Russian drones violated Polish airspace 19 times on the night of September 9 and 10, with data showing the wreckage of Russian drones across the country.—
Brendan Cole,
MSNBC Newsweek,
15 Sep. 2025
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Footage of the aftermath of the collision posted on social media shows a large fire and pillars of dark smoke emanating from the wreckage.—
Toria Sheffield,
PEOPLE,
14 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Leaving a dog at home alone can be nerve-wrecking for many owners, but pet-cam footage shows why Larry the greyhound's owner has nothing to worry about.—
Alyce Collins,
MSNBC Newsweek,
18 Sep. 2025
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The wrecking begins when Carey (Marvin), Paul’s best friend, ill-advisedly sleeps with Julie—and then, more ill-advisedly still, confesses it to Paul the next day.—
Justin Chang,
New Yorker,
22 Aug. 2025
Noun
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Among the 14 other serious Marysville Boulevard collisions, 10 of them left 11 pedestrians or cyclists with severe injuries.—
Ariane Lange,
Sacbee.com,
18 Sep. 2025
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But a collision wouldn’t have happened until much farther down the field.—
Blair Kerkhoff,
Kansas City Star,
18 Sep. 2025
Verb
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One big reason why is that owner Matt Haney decided a few years ago to return Allman’s to its wood-cooking roots, scuttling the restaurant’s gas assist cookers and replacing them with two wood-burning Lang offsets.—
Robert F. Moss,
Southern Living,
17 Sep. 2025
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The workmen complied, and Faulí got down and scuttled through the opening.—
D. T. Max,
New Yorker,
15 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Some hardware is brass-plated, which means scrubbing could expose the metal underneath and ruin the finish.—
Brandee Gruener,
Southern Living,
16 Sep. 2025
-
However, for some, gambling is an addiction that can ruin lives and families.—
Simone Jasper,
Charlotte Observer,
15 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Police and military personnel inspect a property damaged by debris from a Russian drone shot down in eastern Poland earlier this month.—
Brendan Cole,
MSNBC Newsweek,
18 Sep. 2025
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The control panel even displays different lights (blue, pink, and red) to indicate the debris levels on the floor.—
Lily Gray,
Better Homes & Gardens,
18 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Most recently, he was badly injured after a high–speed car crash in New Hampshire in August.—
Washington Examiner Staff,
The Washington Examiner,
18 Sep. 2025
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Initial reports said the possible crash may have occurred near Summit Lake, the sheriff's office said.—
Jessica Gorman,
ABC News,
18 Sep. 2025
Verb
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The four tried to sail across the sea but were shipwrecked in Spain, where all four of them survived and went on to their next adventure in Not Mexico together.—
Erik Kain,
Forbes.com,
15 Sep. 2025
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Two married sea-explorers are stranded, Gilligan-style, after a storm shipwrecks their craft.—
Brittany Allen,
Literary Hub,
27 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Wreck.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wreck. Accessed 23 Sep. 2025.
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