WRECKAGE Synonyms: 86 Similar and Opposite Words

wreckage

noun

ˈre-kij

Definition of wreckage

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

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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

as in wrecking

the destruction or loss of a ship debris floated ashore for weeks after the wreckage

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 Search and rescue teams found the wreckage in Aeneas Valley, Washington, near Tonasket, Washington, according to the release. — ABC News, 12 Oct. 2026 The debris field of the crash extended about 30 feet around the main wreckage. — Dean Fioresi, CBS News, 7 Oct. 2026 The wreckage is on National Park Service land, and would be considered federal property. — Mark Price, Charlotte Observer, 28 Sep. 2026 The video on Iranian state television follows the length of a long underground chamber, lined on both sides by tables heaving with wreckage of American military drones. — Scott Peterson, Christian Science Monitor, 25 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for wreckage

Recent Examples of Synonyms for wreckage

Noun

The devastation spread on a sunny, calm weekend without warning.

— Alicia Victoria Lozano, NBC news, 17 Oct. 2026
Most of the new songs wrestle with how to seek pleasure while remaining hyperaware of the devastations of the world, and how that tension can make happiness itself feel like a vice.

— Amanda Petrusich, New Yorker, 16 Oct. 2026

Definition of devastation

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
Hours after the collapse in Peshawar, the capital of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, emergency services spokesperson Bilal Faizi said everyone trapped beneath the rubble had been pulled out and crews had cleared debris.

— Riaz Khan, Los Angeles Times, 15 Oct. 2026

Definition of rubble

Noun

The end of saving money and raising middle-class wages justifies the means, namely, the destruction of immigrant families.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 16 Oct. 2026
The destruction releases vast stores of carbon, adding to climate change that is already contributing to drought and forest fires across the tropics.

— Ruben Nyanguila, semafor.com, 16 Oct. 2026

Definition of destruction

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

Oldoerp said investigators were already in contact with McLaren officials and other experts about how to proceed in inspecting the wreck.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 19 Oct. 2026
What happens if Larson and Bell, Briscoe and Hamlin are all caught up in a wreck early in the race?

— Zach Dean OutKick, FOXNews.com, 19 Oct. 2026

Definition of wreck

Noun

The Misfits Complementing spring’s embrace of graphic havoc is an intriguing offness of fit, as seen at Jil Sander, Givenchy, and Lii.

— Laird Borrelli-Persson, Vogue, 14 Oct. 2026
Deleting a second has never previously been attempted and could create havoc in today’s digitally time-stamped world.

— Katie Hunt, CNN Money, 13 Oct. 2026

Definition of havoc

Noun

Gaza was reduced to ruins, and its people were trapped in a cycle of loss and suffering, as the conflict continued to rage.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 13 Oct. 2026
This chapter is accompanied by somewhat twee images of an owl doll, a bottle of designer perfume, a high heel, and a golden microphone positioned against various ancient Greek ruins, including the Parthenon and the Monument of the Eponymous Heroes.

— Stephanie Wambugu, Vulture, 12 Oct. 2026

Definition of ruins

Browse Nearby Words

wreck

wreckage

wreckages

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Style

“Wreckage.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wreckage. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of wreckage

noun

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