1
as in garbage
discarded or useless material
the unsightly debris left after mining operations had ceased
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in rubble
the portion or bits of something left over or behind after it has been destroyed
the demolition workers cleared away all of the debris from the demolished building
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of debris
The incident prompted the FAA to activate emergency measures and alert surrounding aircraft about the risk of falling space debris across the Bahamas.
—
Michael Kan, PCMAG, 17 Jan. 2025
Some of it was recorded inside planes flying nearby, and many flights were diverted around the debris field, or delayed until all the fragments touched down.
—Andrew Liszewski, The Verge, 17 Jan. 2025
Inspectors noted that dish racks had deteriorated with significant debris buildup.
—Hannah Poukish, Sacramento Bee, 10 Jan. 2025
For example, the speck-on-a-map village of Brienz in the Swiss Alps, east of Mont Blanc, finds itself in the path of a disintegrating mountainside consisting of 42 million cubic feet of debris.
—Paul Hockenos, Smithsonian Magazine, 9 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for debris 
Michael Kan, PCMAG, 17 Jan. 2025
Some of it was recorded inside planes flying nearby, and many flights were diverted around the debris field, or delayed until all the fragments touched down.
—Andrew Liszewski, The Verge, 17 Jan. 2025
Inspectors noted that dish racks had deteriorated with significant debris buildup.
—Hannah Poukish, Sacramento Bee, 10 Jan. 2025
For example, the speck-on-a-map village of Brienz in the Swiss Alps, east of Mont Blanc, finds itself in the path of a disintegrating mountainside consisting of 42 million cubic feet of debris.
—Paul Hockenos, Smithsonian Magazine, 9 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for debris
Recent Examples of Synonyms for debris
Noun
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During another sale, an AR-15 semiautomatic rifle was placed in a garbage bag and sold in the middle of the afternoon in the Bronx.—
Leonard Greene,
New York Daily News,
30 Jan. 2025
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In Dolton, residents can’t even be sure their garbage will be collected.—
The Editorial Board,
Chicago Tribune,
30 Jan. 2025
Noun
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Many who have returned home since the ceasefire began have found only mounds of rubble. —Magdy reported from Cairo and Krauss from Dubai, United Arab Emirates.—
Wafaa Shurafa, Samy Magdy,
TIME,
27 Jan. 2025
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Many who have returned home since the cease-fire began have found only mounds of rubble.—
Wafaa Shurafa,
Los Angeles Times,
26 Jan. 2025
Noun
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The old filter needs to be slid out carefully, to avoid spreading dust and debris inside the car.—
Kyle J. Russell,
USA TODAY,
17 Jan. 2025
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The arched geometric designs and texture add intrigue, while the latter also serves a functional purpose—to easily scrape off dirt and dust from your shoes.—
Megan Schaltegger,
Better Homes & Gardens,
17 Jan. 2025
Noun
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The area was so inaccessible by air and ground that the plane’s wreckage wasn’t discovered until 1999, 51 years later, thanks in part to the efforts of private searchers.—
Francine Uenuma,
Smithsonian Magazine,
23 Jan. 2025
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Singh — and others like him — are now grappling with how to live and work amid the wreckage.—
Sasha Hupka,
USA TODAY,
23 Jan. 2025
Noun
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Environmental groups have urged Levine Cava to abandon the incinerator plan in favor of waste reduction, but the mayor had previously said other options endangered the county trash system’s ability to keep up with planned growth.—
Douglas Hanks,
Miami Herald,
26 Jan. 2025
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The people that live in the shadows of New York’s 27 landfills desperately need reform to alleviate the high volume of trash flowing into their communities.—
Ryan Castalia,
New York Daily News,
23 Jan. 2025
Noun
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On the evening of January 14, a woman was arrested after allegedly setting multiple piles of rubbish and trash on fire, Jim McDonnell, chief of the Los Angeles Police Department, said at a news conference last week.—
Zoe Sottile,
CNN,
21 Jan. 2025
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Combine principles with experience Anyone can send out glib; motivational rubbish based on principles.—
Jodie Cook,
Forbes,
17 Jan. 2025
Noun
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One of the other major ratings agencies, Moody’s, did not change its assessment of the city after the budget passed, keeping its rating at Baa3+, one notch above junk.—
Alice Yin,
Chicago Tribune,
15 Jan. 2025
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Digital junk piles up faster than clutter in real life.—
Kim Komando,
Fox News,
13 Jan. 2025
Noun
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In 2022, dozens of lab monkeys escaped after a truck carrying 100 of the animals crashed in Pennsylvania.—
Lucia Suarez Sang,
CBS News,
24 Jan. 2025
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Outside the shelter, volunteers are unloading truck after truck of supplies provided by international aid groups — stacks of food ration boxes, mattresses and blankets.—
Jawad Rizkallah,
NPR,
24 Jan. 2025
Thesaurus Entries Near debris
Cite this Entry
“Debris.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/debris. Accessed 2 Feb. 2025.
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