# debris field

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/debris-field
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

Any area, non-dependent of locale, space, or contour, that contains the debris of wreckage, impact, sinking, or other material that once constituted a complete object. Debris fields can be found at the site of air crashes, water vessel sinking, explosions of buildings, collapses, and other events that render a whole entity into components, pieces, or other non-whole items.

## Examples

- The investigators searched the large debris field for clues.
- The explosion leaves a wide debris field across the empty parking lot.
- A messy debris field marks the spot where the two trucks crashed.
- After the satellite exploded in orbit, tracking the resulting debris field became a priority for the space agency.
- Rescue teams spent hours clearing the debris field left behind after the tornado destroyed several homes in the valley.
- Local volunteers helped clean up the debris field that washed onto the beach after the heavy storm.
- Divers carefully mapped the vast debris field on the ocean floor to understand how the historic vessel broke apart during its final descent.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.