shipwreck

1 of 2

noun

ship·wreck ˈship-ˌrek

Synonyms of shipwreck

: a wrecked ship or its parts

: the destruction or loss of a ship

: an irretrievable loss or failure

Their relationship was a shipwreck.

… unwittingly assured the shipwreck of his career.—Bruce Hutchison

shipwreck

2 of 2

verb

shipwrecked; shipwrecking; shipwrecks

transitive verb

: to cause to experience shipwreck

: ruin

: to destroy (a ship) by grounding or foundering

Examples of shipwreck in a Sentence

Noun Only a few sailors survived the shipwreck. The crew narrowly avoided shipwreck. Divers searched the sunken shipwreck. Verb the yachtsman fell asleep at the wheel and shipwrecked his ketch on the rocks

Recent Examples on the Web

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Noun

Some horses survived shipwrecks off the east coast and swam to shore, while others were abandoned in the wake of natural disasters. — Madeline Gunderson, USA Today, 17 June 2026 The waters off Staniel Cay hold coral reefs and shipwrecks, and are home to a range of wildlife including sea turtles, stingrays and sharks. — Kerry Breen, CBS News, 24 June 2026

Verb

Get shipwrecked on a Robinson Crusoe beach with a picnic of yellowfin ceviche? — Tristan Rutherford, Robb Report, 26 Jan. 2026 This reimagining of the classic tale of the white European male shipwrecked on a desert island is brave, funny, wild and spellbinding. — The Know, Denver Post, 15 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for shipwreck

Word History

Etymology

Noun

alteration of earlier shipwrack, from Middle English schipwrak, from Old English scipwræc, from scip ship + wræc something driven by the sea — more at wrack

First Known Use

Noun

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Verb

1561, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler

The first known use of shipwreck was in the 15th century

See more words from the same century

Browse Nearby Words

shipworm

shipwreck

shipwright

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Shipwreck.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/shipwreck. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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Kids Definition

shipwreck

1 of 2 noun

ship·wreck -ˌrek

: a wrecked ship

: the destruction or loss of a ship

shipwreck

2 of 2 verb

: to cause to experience shipwreck

a storm that shipwrecked the sailors

: to destroy (a ship) by driving ashore or sinking

shipwreck

noun

verb

Synonyms of shipwreck

Examples of shipwreck in a Sentence

Word History

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Kids Definition

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