1
as in devastation
the state or fact of being rendered nonexistent, physically unsound, or useless
the wreckage of those ancient statues represents a great loss to the art world
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in rubble
the portion or bits of something left over or behind after it has been destroyed
the wreckage of the cathedral was kept as a memorial and as a reminder of war's terrible cost
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of wreckage
But this town is teetering between the wreckage and the recovery.
—
Rob Picheta, CNN Money, 7 Feb. 2026
First identified from wreckage recovered near Kyiv and Dnipro in early January, the drone points to a quiet but important shift in how Moscow is thinking about long-range strike and air-defense saturation.
—Christopher McFadden, Interesting Engineering, 4 Feb. 2026
Intensive searches at the time and in succeeding decades have turned up no evidence of the plane’s wreckage.
—Matthew Carey, Deadline, 4 Feb. 2026
The video did not mention any specific orders, but the six were plainly referring to the sinking of Venezuelan ships in international waters topped off by the killing of survivors clinging to the wreckage of their vessel.
—James D. Zirin, Washington Post, 3 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for wreckage
Rob Picheta, CNN Money, 7 Feb. 2026
First identified from wreckage recovered near Kyiv and Dnipro in early January, the drone points to a quiet but important shift in how Moscow is thinking about long-range strike and air-defense saturation.
—Christopher McFadden, Interesting Engineering, 4 Feb. 2026
Intensive searches at the time and in succeeding decades have turned up no evidence of the plane’s wreckage.
—Matthew Carey, Deadline, 4 Feb. 2026
The video did not mention any specific orders, but the six were plainly referring to the sinking of Venezuelan ships in international waters topped off by the killing of survivors clinging to the wreckage of their vessel.
—James D. Zirin, Washington Post, 3 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for wreckage
Recent Examples of Synonyms for wreckage
Noun
-
The Palestinian American poet Noor Hindi and the Sudanese American poet Safia Elhillo described the devastation of their homelands.—
Spencer Kornhaber,
The Atlantic,
11 Feb. 2026
-
The conflict that ended in 1992 resulted in the deaths of 75,000 civilians, forced more than a million Salvadorans to flee the country and caused severe economic devastation for those who remained.—
Yamlek Mojica,
Los Angeles Times,
10 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
The drone completely destroyed the house in the city of Bohodukhiv, trapping the family under the rubble.—
Mariia Kashchenko,
CBS News,
11 Feb. 2026
-
The strike completely destroyed the brick house and set it on fire, trapping the family under the rubble, according to the Kharkiv regional prosecutor’s office.—
Illia Novikov,
Los Angeles Times,
11 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
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
-
In one case, the life of an upper-class woman and contemporary of Julius Caesar, Clodia, saw her reputation destroyed by false claims of harlotry, home-wrecking, and husband-killing.—
Time,
Time,
24 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
Starring Elordi and Barry Keoghan, Fennell’s dark comedy about class resentment and covetous destruction was sold on the promise of erotic excess.—
Alison Foreman,
IndieWire,
9 Feb. 2026
-
Though once vital to the economy of the American territory, Puerto Rico’s sugar plantations evolved to represent the destruction and exploitation of colonialism that continues to impact the region today—a detail not lost on those cast as grass.—
Audrey Noble,
Vogue,
9 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
The helicopter crashed about 50 feet from a BNSF Railway line and spread debris across the tracks, according to the railway.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
6 Feb. 2026
-
Try to find a place that will block blowing or falling debris.—
NC Weather Bot,
Charlotte Observer,
5 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Hannah Hackemeyer, just 18 at the time of the 2024 single-car wreck, was sentenced Tuesday in the death of Sophia Lekiachvili, a spokesperson with the DeKalb District Attorney’s Office said in a news release.—
Caroline Silva,
AJC.com,
11 Feb. 2026
-
Coppola, the head-of-table colossus, was fearless and senseless, a beautiful wreck, as lax with details as he was committed to art.—
Michael O’Donnell,
The Atlantic,
10 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Ebba Andersson tumbled and snapped the ski binding in the second leg, giving Norway the advantage on a day where warm weather caused slushy corners that created havoc in the early stages.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
14 Feb. 2026
-
Three minutes of comedy chasing and evasive action ensued before play resumed, only for the four-legged fiend to return to wreak more havoc than the home attack had previously shown.—
Craig Chisnall,
New York Times,
7 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
The place was used for wild beast hunts, public executions, and gladiator fights for several hundred years, then became a condo of sorts as medieval Romans made their homes in the hulking ruins.—
Katie Parla,
Condé Nast Traveler,
9 Feb. 2026
-
While family members viewed the ruins stored at Veterans Park, construction crews were working on the site directly across the street.—
Sofia Saric,
Miami Herald,
5 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Wreckage.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wreckage. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
