wreck

[ rek ]

noun

1. any building, structure, or thing reduced to a state of ruin.
2. wreckage, goods, etc., remaining above water after a shipwreck, especially when cast ashore.
3. the ruin or destruction of a vessel in the course of navigation; shipwreck.
4. a vessel in a state of ruin from disaster at sea, on rocks, etc.
5. the ruin or destruction of anything:

   the wreck of one's hopes.

6. a person of ruined health; someone in bad shape physically or mentally:

   The strain of his work left him a wreck.

verb (used with object)

1. to cause the wreck of (a vessel); shipwreck.
2. to involve in a wreck.
3. to cause the ruin or destruction of:

   to wreck a car.

   Synonyms: shatter, devastate, destroy

4. to tear down; demolish:

   to wreck a building.

5. to ruin or impair severely:

   Fast living wrecked their health.

verb (used without object)

1. to be involved in a wreck; become wrecked:

   The trains wrecked at the crossing.

2. to act as a wrecker; engage in wrecking.

wreck

/ rɛk /

verb

1. to involve in or suffer disaster or destruction
2. tr to cause the wreck of (a ship)

noun

1. 1. the accidental destruction of a ship at sea
   2. the ship so destroyed
2. maritime law goods cast ashore from a wrecked vessel
3. a person or thing that has suffered ruin or dilapidation
4. the remains of something that has been destroyed
5. old-fashioned.
   the act of wrecking or the state of being wrecked; ruin or destruction

Other Words From

• un·wrecked adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of wreck¹

First recorded in 1200–50; (noun) Middle English wrec, wrech, wrek, from Old Danish wrækæ “wreck”; (verb) late Middle English, derivative of the noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of wreck¹

C13: from Scandinavian; compare Icelandic rek. See wrack ², wreak

Synonym Study

See spoil.

Example Sentences

The army is still towing away wrecked cars which were tossed around in the floodwaters.

From BBC

“He’s wrecking havoc all over the place,” Cronin said of Clark, who added six rebounds, four points and two assists.

From Los Angeles Times

Evidently, someone involved in a reckless driving incident that led to two wrecks and four people being taken to the hospital.

From Los Angeles Times

The wreck of one aircraft, thought to be a Catalina, was discovered in 2018 and is protected as a war grave.

From BBC

Trump's predictions of total victory are a stark contrast to his aides worrying that they hit a "total train wreck," per multiple reports across several media outlets, including the Wall Street Journal.

From Salon

Related Words

• batter
• decimate
• demolish
• destroy
• devastate
• impair
• injure
• mangle
• mar
• ravage
• raze
• ruin
• sabotage
• shatter
• sink
• smash
• spoil
• torpedo
• trash
• undermine

More About Wreck

What does wreck mean?

To wreck something is to destroy, ruin, or severely damage it.

It’s commonly used in the context of the destruction of physical objects, as in He wrecked the car when he hit the tree. 

Nonphysical things can also be wrecked, as in Tom’s poor planning wrecked his chances of finishing his homework in time to go to baseball practice.

Wreck is also commonly used as a noun referring to something that has been destroyed or turned into a ruin, such as a building, as in All that was left of the house after the fire was a burnt wreck. 

Wreck is often used figuratively to describe a person who is in bad health or who is emotionally or mentally unwell, as in Stress reduces him to a nervous wreck. 

Wreck is also used in a more specific way to refer to sunken or destroyed ships, as in The diver went to the bottom of the sea to explore the wreck. The word shipwreck means the same thing.

The word wreckage refers to the remains of something that has been wrecked.

Example: I cried so much at the end of that movie that I was an emotional wreck for the rest of the day.

Where does wreck come from?

The first records of the word wreck come from the early 1200s. It comes from the Old Danish wrækæ. The words wrack (as in wrack and ruin) and wreak (as in wreak havoc) are related.

Both the noun and verb senses of wreck typically involve things being ruined, destroyed, or violently damaged—not just slightly damaged or messed up. A car wreck involves a crash that damages the car beyond repair. A wrecking ball is used to demolish buildings. When rain wrecks your plans for a day outside, it ruins them and forces you to do something else. A person who’s an emotional wreck is not OK—they’re emotional state has been greatly broken or damaged.

Did you know ... ?

What are some other forms related to wreck?

• unwrecked (adjective)
• wreckage (noun)
• wrecker (noun)

What are some synonyms for wreck?

• destroy
• ruin
• demolish
• devastate
• smash
• shambles

What are some words that share a root or word element with wreck? 

• shipwreck
• train wreck
• wrecking ball
• wrack
• wreak

What are some words that often get used in discussing wreck?

• ruined
• destruction
• devastation
• ship
• car
• train
• emotional
• nervous

What are some words wreck may be commonly confused with?

• wreak

How is wreck used in real life?

Wreck is commonly used as both a noun and a verb.

“We cannot allow invasive species to wreck the balance that we need to maintain.” #higov #InvasiveSpecies

— Neil Abercrombie (@neilabercrombie) March 3, 2014

There are few things sadder than seeing a boy you once IDOLISED turned into a wreck of his former self.

— Victoria Finan (@victoriafinan) February 7, 2013

 

I'm getting old because after Godzilla wrecked the city in the new movie, I said, "Well whose taxes are gonna rise to clean this mess up?"

— Wil Herrmuth (@ItsJustOneL) May 18, 2014

Try using wreck!

Which of the following words is a synonym of wreck?

A. create
B. destroy
C. build
D. infect