wreck 1 of 2

noun

ˈrek How to pronounce wreck (audio)
Definition of wrecknext
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
as in wrecking
the destruction or loss of a ship the wreck cost the insurance company millions of dollars

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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

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wreck

2 of 2

verb

1
as in to scuttle
to cause irreparable damage to (a ship) by running aground or sinking many an unwary captain has wrecked his ship on the shoals that surround the island

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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

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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 wreck
Noun
Many ballads were passed down through oral tradition and recount a dramatic event, such as a famous battle, the wreck of a ship, or the tragic death of a child or lover. — René Ostberg, Encyclopedia Britannica, 14 Oct. 2026 Initially, she was meant to descend to the wreck with Shahzada. — Julia Buckley, CNN Money, 13 Oct. 2026
Verb
If checking your score reliably wrecks your morning, the device isn’t working for you. — J. David Creswell, The Conversation, 6 Oct. 2026 Kyle Larson and Tyler Reddick crossed the line while wrecking after Larson hit the wall trying to chase down Briscoe on the final turn. — Zach Dean Outkick, FOXNews.com, 5 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for wreck
Recent Examples of Synonyms for wreck
  1. wreckage
  2. wrecking
  3. collision
  4. scuttle
  5. ruin
  6. debris
  7. crash
  8. shipwreck
Noun
  • Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department divers found Romero’s body in the helicopter wreckage, some 218 feet below, a day later.
    — Hannah Fry, Los Angeles Times, 14 Oct. 2026
  • One contractor reported hearing rumors of underwater wreckage — while another claimed to have personally spotted wreckage while conducting survey work at the site.
    — Andrea Margolis, FOXNews.com, 12 Oct. 2026
Definition of wreckage
Noun
  • At least, there was a lot less wrecking.
    — Alex Zietlow, Charlotte Observer, 13 Feb. 2026
  • 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
Definition of wrecking
Noun
  • Argentina goalkeeper Emi Martinez was taken to the hospital with a head injury after receiving about 10 minutes of treatment following a nasty-looking collision while playing for Chelsea in the Premier League on Saturday.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 17 Oct. 2026
  • Also, passenger road vehicles use safety features like steel bumpers and crumple zones to absorb impact forces during collisions.
    — Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of collision
Verb
  • The transaction was scuttled two months later after OpenAI shut down Sora, which had drawn a host of legal complaints alleging copyright violation.
    — Dade Hayes, Deadline, 13 Oct. 2026
  • But the defense of those titles last season was scuttled by injuries, and now the Panthers have seen two key players injured on their four-game West Coast trip to start this season.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 7 Oct. 2026
Definition of scuttle
Verb
  • Burdick seemed to have drawn directly from McCarthy’s experience, the hopelessness of fighting with his father over a world his father had already ruined, the surrender to indulgence and mindless violence because…why not?
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 20 Oct. 2026
  • Each room is also outfitted with a Yale smart lock, which means there’s no room for that horrible feeling of losing a room key to ruin your vacation.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 20 Oct. 2026
Definition of ruin
Noun
  • Hours after the collapse in Peshawar, the capital of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, emergency services spokesperson Bilal Faizi said that everyone trapped beneath the rubble had been pulled out and crews had cleared debris.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 16 Oct. 2026
  • The hurricane had headed for the interior and Palm Beach was already clearing its debris.
    — Gerald R. Hunter, Outdoor Life, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of debris
Noun
  • The character was killed in a helicopter crash in Amritsar, Indian that also involved the Indian Prime Minister.
    — Peter White, Deadline, 15 Oct. 2026
  • After co-headlining with Charli xcx at the peak of Brat Summer, Sivan was struck by his post-show emotional crash, when the roar of stadiums gave way to the quiet of being totally on his own.
    — Harry Tafoya, Pitchfork, 14 Oct. 2026
Definition of crash
Verb
  • In a passage from the Book of Acts, Paul is shipwrecked while sailing for Rome.
    — John Blake, CNN Money, 2 Aug. 2026
  • They are subsequently shipwrecked, with Odysseus left as the sole survivor on the shores of Calypso’s island.
    — Louis Peitzman, Vulture, 17 July 2026
Definition of shipwreck

Phrases Containing wreck

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wreaths
wreck
wreckage
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Cite this Entry

“Wreck.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wreck. Accessed 21 Oct. 2026.

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