wreckage

noun

wreck·​age ˈre-kij How to pronounce wreckage (audio)
1
: the act of wrecking : the state of being wrecked
2
a
: something that has been wrecked
b
: broken and disordered parts or material from something wrecked

Examples of wreckage in a Sentence

Workers sifted through the wreckage of the building, searching for bodies. They cleared the wreckage from the track.
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
The team of masons, covered in dust and sweat, had been working in the ruins of the Altadena house for hours when a shout echoed across the wreckage. Laura J. Nelson, Los Angeles Times, 18 Mar. 2025 Other videos show villagers gathered nearby, watching as black smoke continues to billow from the wreckage. David Faris, Newsweek, 17 Mar. 2025 Night Watch studied the wreckage and then tweaked the Lima jammer and the plan for deploying the jammer, Kazarian said. David Axe, Forbes, 17 Mar. 2025 Neighbor John Green found Pickering’s body in the wreckage of a building just across the street from Green’s home. TIME, 17 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for wreckage

Word History

First Known Use

1837, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of wreckage was in 1837

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Wreckage.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/wreckage. Accessed 28 Mar. 2025.

Kids Definition

wreckage

noun
wreck·​age ˈrek-ij How to pronounce wreckage (audio)
1
a
: the act of wrecking
b
: the state of being wrecked
2
: the remains of a wreck

More from Merriam-Webster on wreckage

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!