as in wreck
the destruction or loss of a ship
the wrecking of the freighter was one of the worst disasters ever on the Great Lakes
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in scuttling
to cause irreparable damage to (a ship) by running aground or sinking
many an unwary captain has wrecked his ship on the shoals that surround the island
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in destroying
to bring to a complete end the physical soundness, existence, or usefulness of
most of the furniture on the ground floor was wrecked by the floodwaters
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of wrecking
Seth Emerson, New York Times, 8 Oct. 2025
The addresses listed in the wrecking permits border the east of the truck plant where Ford makes its iconic Super Duty trucks, Expedition SUVs and luxury Lincoln Navigators.
—Olivia Evans, Louisville Courier Journal, 3 Oct. 2025
Leaving a dog at home alone can be nerve-wrecking for many owners, but pet-cam footage shows why Larry the greyhound's owner has nothing to worry about.
—Alyce Collins, MSNBC Newsweek, 18 Sep. 2025
The wrecking begins when Carey (Marvin), Paul’s best friend, ill-advisedly sleeps with Julie—and then, more ill-advisedly still, confesses it to Paul the next day.
—Justin Chang, New Yorker, 22 Aug. 2025
Nora Gámez Torres, Miami Herald, 27 Oct. 2025
That history came to an end after wrecking crews tore down the wing’s two stories of offices and reception rooms last week.
—Darlene Superville, Denver Post, 26 Oct. 2025
The big money takeover is wrecking college sports.
—FOXNews.com, 20 Oct. 2025
Six games into his fourth NFL season, Thibodeaux has flashed the game-wrecking potential that led to the Giants grabbing him in the top five of the of the 2022 draft.
—Michael Gallagher, MSNBC Newsweek, 15 Oct. 2025
One raid saw masked federal agents repelling from Black Hawk helicopters and wrecking an apartment building.
—Christopher Cann, USA Today, 9 Oct. 2025
The wrecking-ball style is the way King played even at Longview (Texas) High, where his father was the coach, and didn’t coddle or protect his son, as Dickey remembers.
—Seth Emerson, New York Times, 8 Oct. 2025
Chastain regretted wrecking Hamlin.
—Alex Zietlow, Charlotte Observer, 6 Oct. 2025
Despite the mixed reception, the money counter was an earnest attempt to keep the show running on schedule, preventing one or two self-indulgent speakers from wrecking the running time.
—Dani Di Placido, Forbes.com, 15 Sep. 2025
Noun
The coaches also decided King’s wrecking-ball approach was effective.
—Seth Emerson, New York Times, 8 Oct. 2025
The addresses listed in the wrecking permits border the east of the truck plant where Ford makes its iconic Super Duty trucks, Expedition SUVs and luxury Lincoln Navigators.
—Olivia Evans, Louisville Courier Journal, 3 Oct. 2025
Leaving a dog at home alone can be nerve-wrecking for many owners, but pet-cam footage shows why Larry the greyhound's owner has nothing to worry about.
—Alyce Collins, MSNBC Newsweek, 18 Sep. 2025
The wrecking begins when Carey (Marvin), Paul’s best friend, ill-advisedly sleeps with Julie—and then, more ill-advisedly still, confesses it to Paul the next day.
—Justin Chang, New Yorker, 22 Aug. 2025
Verb
Storm preparations Cuba has been struck almost yearly by a major hurricane in recent years, sometimes twice, wrecking the country’s already decrepit infrastructure, damaging crops and destroying thousands of homes in precarious condition.
—Nora Gámez Torres, Miami Herald, 27 Oct. 2025
That history came to an end after wrecking crews tore down the wing’s two stories of offices and reception rooms last week.
—Darlene Superville, Denver Post, 26 Oct. 2025
The big money takeover is wrecking college sports.
—FOXNews.com, 20 Oct. 2025
Six games into his fourth NFL season, Thibodeaux has flashed the game-wrecking potential that led to the Giants grabbing him in the top five of the of the 2022 draft.
—Michael Gallagher, MSNBC Newsweek, 15 Oct. 2025
One raid saw masked federal agents repelling from Black Hawk helicopters and wrecking an apartment building.
—Christopher Cann, USA Today, 9 Oct. 2025
The wrecking-ball style is the way King played even at Longview (Texas) High, where his father was the coach, and didn’t coddle or protect his son, as Dickey remembers.
—Seth Emerson, New York Times, 8 Oct. 2025
Chastain regretted wrecking Hamlin.
—Alex Zietlow, Charlotte Observer, 6 Oct. 2025
Despite the mixed reception, the money counter was an earnest attempt to keep the show running on schedule, preventing one or two self-indulgent speakers from wrecking the running time.
—Dani Di Placido, Forbes.com, 15 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for wrecking
Noun
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Russia may be using the wreck of the MS Estonia–a Baltic Sea ferry that sank in 1994–as a training ground and strategic base for covert underwater surveillance operations targeting NATO forces, independent European investigators have said in a new report.—
Jordan King,
MSNBC Newsweek,
24 Oct. 2025
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Officials investigating the wreck in Florida said Singh failed English and road sign tests.—
Greg Wehner , Bill Melugin,
FOXNews.com,
24 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Hiding in dark places, scuttling in the daylight, allergic to real, authentic human contact.—
Rachel Raposas,
PEOPLE,
23 Oct. 2025
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The move will save $30 million — a tiny fraction of the department’s $850 billion budget — scuttling research on emerging security threats, including climate change, extremism and disinformation.—
Ames Alexander,
Miami Herald,
22 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Overdevelopment destroying our communities.—
Deputy News Editor,
MSNBC Newsweek,
31 Oct. 2025
-
Unless this is another ploy by women who are intent on destroying each other.—
Brian Moylan,
Vulture,
31 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Just over 700 people — less than a third of the total number of crew and passengers — survived the sinking.—
Pilar Arias,
FOXNews.com,
29 Oct. 2025
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The most common cause is underwater earthquakes that force the seafloor to move vertically, either rising or sinking, which displaces massive volumes of water.—
Shane Croucher,
MSNBC Newsweek,
10 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Sangster International Airport has already closed, stranding travelers and accelerating departures.—
Hannah Parry,
MSNBC Newsweek,
27 Oct. 2025
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The Jays sent six players to the plate in the opening frame, ultimately stranding the bases loaded with a Daulton Varsho flyout.—
Fabian Ardaya,
New York Times,
25 Oct. 2025
Verb
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The Chiefs have seen some of league’s premier running backs — such as Saquon Barkley, Derrick Henry and Jahmyr Gibbs — and have met each challenge, preventing those elite players from ruining the defensive game plan.—
Emily Curiel,
Kansas City Star,
26 Oct. 2025
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Clark reiterated his belief that the Dodgers are not ruining baseball.—
Evan Drellich,
New York Times,
25 Oct. 2025
Verb
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The White House has required at least some of the construction workers tasked with demolishing the East Wing to sign nondisclosure agreements barring them from discussing their work, according to sources familiar with the project.—
Dr. Mark Abdelmalek,
ABC News,
30 Oct. 2025
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Just last week, the Facchino Family began demolishing structures at its 13-acre property at 1655 Berryessa Road before construction commences on a new mixed-income neighborhood near the BART Station.—
Devan Patel,
Mercury News,
29 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Advertisement The past few years have seen record-shattering global sea surface temperatures, which helps strengthen storms.—
Simmone Shah,
Time,
28 Oct. 2025
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Viewers are dropped into the aftermath of an unnamed personal conflict and must work out over the course of the runtime the stakes of the situation, a highwire act handled deftly by the actors whose tender performances provide the emotional impact of the film’s shattering final sequence.—
Christian Blauvelt,
IndieWire,
24 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Wrecking.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wrecking. Accessed 4 Nov. 2025.
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