wreckage

noun

wreck·​age ˈre-kij 

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

Synonyms

• annihilation
• decimation
• demolishment
• demolition
• desolation
• destruction
• devastation
• extermination
• extinction
• havoc
• loss
• mincemeat
• obliteration
• ruin
• ruination
• wastage

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

In 1988, Swire’s daughter was one of 270 people killed in the bombing of an American jetliner, Pan Am Flight 103, the wreckage of which crashed in the remote Scottish town of Lockerbie. —Calum Marsh, New York Times, 7 Jan. 2025

Instead, audiences are left to gawk at the wreckage. —Kyndall Cunningham, Vox, 6 Jan. 2025

Twenty-two months later, Rodgers stood on the Jets sideline at MetLife Stadium, flanked by Hall, and Gardner, and Wilson, staring upon the wreckage of their season, enjoying what might have been their final moments together as teammates. —Zack Rosenblatt, The Athletic, 5 Jan. 2025

Ottavio died in May 2013 at the age of 92, four months after their son’s plane had gone missing but before the wreckage had been found. —Reuters, NBC News, 3 Jan. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1837, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

wreckage

noun

wreck·​age ˈrek-ij 

1

a

: the act of wrecking

b

: the state of being wrecked

2

: the remains of a wreck