noun
wreck
REHK
noun
1
The remains of a vehicle, ship, or structure that has been destroyed or badly damaged.
"Divers explored the wreck of a ship that sank two centuries ago."
"The crash left the car a total wreck."
2
Informal: a person who is in a very poor physical or emotional state.
"After the exam week she felt like a complete wreck."
verb
1
To destroy or badly damage something.
"The storm wrecked several boats in the harbour."
"He wrecked his chances of promotion by missing the deadline."
How to Use Wreck
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishSomething destroyed, or the act of destroying it — a crashed ship or car, or ruining a plan.
Common pairings
a shipwreck
wreck a plan
a nervous wreck
Word Forms
wrecked past tense, wrecks plural, wrecks singular
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Divers explored the _____ of a ship that sank two centuries ago.
Etymology
From Old Norse *wrek, related to Old English wrecan ("to drive"), the same root that gave us "wreak".