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wreck

wrecked; wrecks; wrecking

A wreck is something that's been destroyed. Your hair might be a wreck after a bad day at the barber. Your car might be a wreck after you hit a telephone pole.

Your house might be a wreck after a visit from 3-year-old twins. You might be an emotional wreck after a fight with your boyfriend. A sunken ship is a wreck, or a shipwreck. When you hit that telephone pole, you’ve had a wreck, and you can also call your mangled car a wreck. When you’re next heading out with the car keys, you mom might say, "Don't wreck the car!,” hoping you’ll bring it back in one piece.

Definitions of wreck
  1. noun
    something or someone that has suffered ruin or dilapidation
    “the house was a wreck when they bought it”
    “thanks to that quack I am a human wreck
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    type of:
    declination, decline
    a condition inferior to an earlier condition; a gradual falling off from a better state
  2. noun
    an accident that destroys a ship at sea
    synonyms: shipwreck
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    types:
    capsizing
    (nautical) the event of a boat accidentally turning over in the water
    type of:
    accident
    an unfortunate mishap; especially one causing damage or injury
  3. noun
    a ship that has been destroyed at sea
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    type of:
    ship
    a vessel that carries passengers or freight
  4. noun
    a serious accident (usually involving one or more vehicles)
    synonyms: crash
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    types:
    prang
    a crash involving a car or plane
    type of:
    accident
    an unfortunate mishap; especially one causing damage or injury
  5. verb
    smash or break forcefully
    synonyms: bust up, wrack
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    type of:
    destroy, ruin
    destroy completely; damage irreparably
DISCLAIMER: These example sentences appear in various news sources and books to reflect the usage of the word ‘wreck'. Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Vocabulary.com or its editors. Send us feedback
Commonly confused words

wreck / wreak / reek

What happens when wild chimpanzees go to a party? They wreck the furniture, wreak havoc, and make the whole house reek. To wreck is to ruin something, to wreak is to cause something to happen, and to reek is to smell bad.

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