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
Anyway, yeah, what a colossal train wreck that Ramírez-for-Moss trade would have been.
—Zack Meisel, New York Times, 12 May 2025
Umpires call it a train wreck, a play that results in a horrific collision through no fault of the baserunner or fielder.
—Steve Henson, Los Angeles Times, 23 Apr. 2025
Even both stars going off-script in a super awkward segment couldn’t save this rivalry from being a total train wreck.
—Blake Oestriecher, Forbes.com, 19 Apr. 2025
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
See All Example Sentences for train wreck
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Zack Meisel, New York Times, 12 May 2025
Umpires call it a train wreck, a play that results in a horrific collision through no fault of the baserunner or fielder.
—Steve Henson, Los Angeles Times, 23 Apr. 2025
Even both stars going off-script in a super awkward segment couldn’t save this rivalry from being a total train wreck.
—Blake Oestriecher, Forbes.com, 19 Apr. 2025
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
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 17 May. 2025.
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