train wreck
noun
variants
or less commonly trainwreck
plural train wrecks also trainwrecks
1
: a violent and destructive crash involving a train
2
: an utter disaster or mess : a disastrous calamity or source of trouble
Six months later, with Washington facing a political train wreck in Iraq, whom did it call? The United Nations.—
Fareed Zakaria
Fareed ZakariaThe train wreck that was Florence Ballard could not be hidden anymore. … Those shows went on without a hitch, but with Ballard progressively drinking harder, disaster awaited them as they trekked from Miami to play several college dates across the South.—Mark Ballard
Mark Ballard… to create what is termed on Capitol Hill a train wreck—a budget crisis so awful that the President would have to seriously negotiate, and yield on taxes.—Elizabeth Drew
Elizabeth DrewExamples of train wreck in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
We were being asked to see a woman as capable of occupying the most powerful position in the world, in a media landscape conditioned to view us as high-definition train wrecks.
—Sophie Gilbert, The Atlantic, 15 Apr. 2025
At the same time, there is something very real about smiling through the train wreck that we’ve all been forced to experience.
—Harrison Richlin, IndieWire, 13 Apr. 2025
Even their most basic pick-and-roll coverage has been a train wreck.
—Brian Sampson, Forbes.com, 31 Mar. 2025
The conversation is a slow-motion train wreck written in the direction of Trump.
—Amanda Whiting, Vulture, 2 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for train wreck
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Sophie Gilbert, The Atlantic, 15 Apr. 2025
At the same time, there is something very real about smiling through the train wreck that we’ve all been forced to experience.
—Harrison Richlin, IndieWire, 13 Apr. 2025
Even their most basic pick-and-roll coverage has been a train wreck.
—Brian Sampson, Forbes.com, 31 Mar. 2025
The conversation is a slow-motion train wreck written in the direction of Trump.
—Amanda Whiting, Vulture, 2 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for train wreck
Cite this Entry
“Train wreck.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/train%20wreck. Accessed 24 Apr. 2025.
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