shipwreck
noun
ship·wreck
| \ ˈship-ˌrek
\
\
Definition of shipwreck
(Entry 1 of 2)
1
: a wrecked ship or its parts
2
: the destruction or loss of a ship
3
: an irretrievable loss or failure
shipwreck
verb
shipwrecked;
shipwrecking;
shipwrecks
Definition of shipwreck (Entry 2 of 2)
1a
: to cause to experience shipwreck
b
: ruin
2
: to destroy (a ship) by grounding or foundering
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Synonyms for shipwreck
Synonyms: Noun
shipwrecking, wreck, wreckage, wrecking
Synonyms: Verb
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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: Noun
And so when Parks Canada set out again in search of the shipwrecks in the late 2000s, Inuit researchers led the way. — Meagan Flynn, Anchorage Daily News, "A doomed 1845 expedition to the Arctic killed 129 men. Now the ship’s artifacts have been found ‘frozen in time.’," 29 Aug. 2019 The assistance of the area’s fishers ended up helping archaeologists discover 23 shipwrecks in the area in 22 days. — Erin Blakemore, National Geographic, "How underwater archaeology reveals hidden wonders," 2 Aug. 2019 During a nine-day expedition conducted by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), scientists onboard the R/V Point Sur discovered two unexplored shipwrecks in the Gulf of Mexico. — Marcy De Luna, Houston Chronicle, "NOAA researchers discover two unexplored shipwrecks in the Gulf of Mexico," 30 July 2019 An international team of researchers, including experts from the University of Southampton and MMT, has also discovered more than 65 shipwrecks in the Black Sea, many of which date back to ancient times. — Fox News, "Stunningly well preserved 500-year-old Columbus-era shipwreck revealed: 'It’s almost like it sank yesterday'," 23 July 2019 During one of her first times at the helm, her ship picked up 45 bodies floating in the sea from a shipwreck. — Washington Post, "German captain who outraged Italian leader pushes limits," 30 June 2019 An archaeological survey expedition called the Black Sea Maritime Archaeological Project discovered a shipwreck about 80km (49.7 miles) from the Bulgarian city of Burgas. — Kiona N. Smith, Ars Technica, "This ancient Greek ship is the oldest intact shipwreck ever discovered," 24 Oct. 2018 The anchor is at the southernmost end of the shipwreck in the sand. — John Christopher Fine, sun-sentinel.com, "SS Copenhagen shipwreck home to picture-perfect artificial reef," 18 July 2019 But that oral history is backed by physical evidence found in the shipwrecks, Kenny said. — Author: Lauren Ellenbecker, Anchorage Daily News, "Anchorage Museum explores fate of doomed Franklin expedition in new exhibit," 13 June 2019Recent Examples on the Web: Verb
Both involve figures of the commedia dell’arte: Pierrot and Scapin are the protagonists of the Gluck, shipwrecked and looking for girls; in the Ullmann, Harlekin is a pragmatic Everyman. — Washington Post, "At Wolf Trap Opera, Gluck and Ullman make for strange bedfellows," 27 June 2019 In the beginning of the play, Miranda is charmed by the human beings shipwrecked on her island. — Josephine Livingstone, The New Republic, "Puzzled by Westworld? Look to Shakespeare.," 26 June 2018 And watching with delight, cozied up in one of the old theater seats that dot the Globe’s outdoor Davies stage, is Kate Burton as Prospera, the sorcerer who has whipped up this tempest to shipwreck and bring rough justice to some old foes. — James Hebert, sandiegouniontribune.com, "'Tempest' a satisfying whirl of wit and wizardry at Old Globe," 24 June 2018 Jamie and Claire saved him—only to then shipwreck in Colonial Georgia, which is where season four will pick up. — Christopher Rosa, Glamour, "Good News: There’s a Lot More Outlander in Your Future," 9 May 2018 The ordinariness of his tale and its unexceptional heroes—Ananda and his uncle Radhesh, an avatar for Odysseus—implies that, in the end, everyone is wandering and shipwrecked. — The Economist, "In times of crisis, writers turn to Homer," 26 Apr. 2018 It was shipwrecked in North Carolina, where it is believed that the ship's crew engaged in fierce battle in 1718 with volunteers from the British Royal Navy who killed Blackbeard. — Yelena Dzhanova, NBC News, "Blackbeard may have been an avid reader, discovery suggests," 15 Jan. 2018 What if they were shipwrecked on an island and popped out Baby Tarzan? — Mehera Bonner, Marie Claire, "The Craziest Movie Fan Theories on the Internet," 1 May 2017 And watching with delight, cozied up in one of the old theater seats that dot the Globe’s outdoor Davies stage, is Kate Burton as Prospera, the sorcerer who has whipped up this tempest to shipwreck and bring rough justice to some old foes. — James Hebert, sandiegouniontribune.com, "'Tempest' a satisfying whirl of wit and wizardry at Old Globe," 24 June 2018These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'shipwreck.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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More Definitions for shipwreck
shipwreck
noun
English Language Learners Definition of shipwreck
: the destruction or sinking of a ship at sea
: a ruined or destroyed ship
See the full definition for shipwreck in the English Language Learners Dictionary
shipwreck
noun
ship·wreck
| \ ˈship-ˌrek
\
\
Kids Definition of shipwreck
(Entry 1 of 2)
1
: a ruined or destroyed ship
Divers explored the shipwreck.
2
: the loss or destruction of a ship
Only a few sailors survived the shipwreck.
shipwreck
verb
shipwrecked;
shipwrecking
Kids Definition of shipwreck (Entry 2 of 2)
1
: to cause to experience destruction of a ship and usually be left stranded
The crew was shipwrecked.
2
: to ruin or destroy (a ship) by crashing ashore or sinking