wreckage

[ rek-ij ]

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

/ ˈrɛkɪdʒ /

noun

1. same as wreck
2. the act of wrecking or the state of being wrecked; ruin or destruction

Word History and Origins

Origin of wreckage¹

First recorded in 1830–40; wreck + -age

Example Sentences

“What we’re trying to do is be close enough to these young women that you can understand how, in their late teens and early 20s, they would join a paramilitary organization, believing that peaceful protest is never going to work. We want you to be there with them, but then also to see the human wreckage of their decisions,” Keefe said over breakfast in Manhattan, N.Y., where he was joined by Zetumer and director Michael Lennox.

From Los Angeles Times

Forensic experts have been examining Titan’s wreckage to find the root of the failure.

From BBC

Eventually the deep-sea robots returned to where Titan had gone missing and the wreckage was found.

From BBC

The crew from Romeo’s company, Deep Sea Vision, had piloted their state-of-the-art submersible closer to the possible wreckage.

From Los Angeles Times

On today’s episode of A Word, Jason Johnson surveys the wreckage with professor and political analyst Niambi Carter.

From Slate

Related Words

• debris
• rubble
• wreck