# wreck

/ˈɹɛk/ (US) · /ɹˈɛk/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/wreck
Updated: 2026-06-20

## Senses

### 1. destroyed vehicle or ship

noun · CEFR B2

the remains of a car, ship, or plane that has been badly damaged in an accident.

For teachers: the physical remains of a vehicle, aircraft, or marine vessel that has been destroyed by collision or environmental forces.

- Divers found the wreck of an old wooden ship at the bottom of the sea.
- The rusted wreck of the freighter remained on the reef for decades, serving as a grim reminder of the treacherous coastal currents.

### 2. a crash or collision

noun · CEFR B2 · American English

an accident where a vehicle hits something and is badly damaged.

For teachers: an event involving a violent collision or the destruction of a vehicle.

- Luckily, no one was seriously hurt in the car wreck on the highway.
- The multi-car wreck blocked all three lanes of the interstate, resulting in a massive traffic jam that lasted several hours.

### 3. an exhausted or broken person

noun · CEFR C1 · Informal

someone who is in very poor physical or mental condition, often because they are tired or stressed.

For teachers: a person who has suffered a physical or emotional breakdown; often used to describe extreme exhaustion.

- After working sixteen hours straight, I was a total wreck.
- By the end of the trial, the witness was a nervous wreck, barely able to answer the prosecutor's questions without trembling.

### 4. to destroy or ruin

verb · CEFR B2

to damage something so badly that it cannot be used, or to spoil a plan or situation.

For teachers: to cause the destruction of a physical object or to frustrate a plan or ambition entirely.

- The heavy rain threatened to wreck our plans for a picnic in the park.
- The scandal threatened to wreck his political career just as he was preparing to announce his candidacy for the senate.

### 5. to dismantle for parts

verb · CEFR C2 · Dialect · American English

to take apart a damaged car or machine to save the parts that still work.

For teachers: to dismantle a damaged vehicle or piece of machinery for the purpose of reclaiming salvageable components.

- He spent the weekend wrecking an old truck to find a working engine.
- The business specialised in wrecking late-model European cars, supplying rare spare parts to mechanics across the state.

Usage: Commonly used in the context of 'wrecking yards' or 'auto wreckers'.

## Examples

- The divers found an old ship wreck at the bottom of the sea.
- After working sixteen hours straight without a break, he was a total wreck by the time he got home.
- The investigators spent weeks examining the twisted metal of the train wreck to determine if the cause was mechanical failure or human error.

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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.