Dictionary.com

Popular Searches

 Thesaurus.com
Synonyms

wreckage

American  
[rek-ij] / ˈrɛk ɪdʒ /

noun

  1. act of wrecking; wrecking; state of being wrecked.

  2. remains or fragments of something that has been wrecked.

    They searched the wreckage for survivors.
wreckage British  
/ ˈrɛkɪdʒ /

noun

  1. same as wreck

  2. the act of wrecking or the state of being wrecked; ruin or destruction

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of wreckage

First recorded in 1830–40; wreck + -age

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Paul McCartney emerged from the wreckage of the Fab Four in 1970, eager to ferret out a fresh sound.

From The Wall Street Journal

As Manchester United's powerbrokers assessed the wreckage from a catastrophic 2024-25 campaign and tried to plot a way forward for the Old Trafford club, they had some targets to aim for.

From BBC

Surveying the wreckage of a week of AI disruption Hartnett observes it’s spreading like wildfire: insurance brokers Monday, wealth advisors Tuesday, real-estate services Wednesday and logistics Thursday.

From MarketWatch

Footage posted on X appeared to show passengers leaving the aircraft and walking away from the wreckage on the shore of the Indian Ocean.

From BBC

Stray dogs roamed the wreckage, weaving between huge charred twisted pipes and silent idle turbines.

From Barron's

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.