shipwreck

Meaning

Noun

1. (countable, uncountable) A ship that has sunk or run aground so that it is no longer seaworthy; a ruined vessel or its remains.
2. (countable, uncountable) An event where a ship sinks or runs aground.
3. (countable, figuratively, uncountable) Destruction; disaster; failure; ruin; irretrievable loss.

Verb

To wreck a boat through a collision or other mishap.

Synonyms

wreck

wrack

disaster

wreckage

destroy

destruction

accident

pulverise

sinking

cast away

clobber

consume

cripple

crunch

crush

dash

💨

derelict

desolate

desolation

destroyed

destruct

devastation

devour

doomsday

drag down

drowning

exterminate

fall

flood

grind

ground

havoc

hulk

interdict

key

🔑

kill

🔪🩸👤

knock out

loss

mash

mishap

nuke

obliterate

overbear

overwhelm

plunder

pound

💷

pulverize

rack

ravage

raze

Translations

naufrage

Schiffbruch

épave

naufragio

naufragio

schipbreuk

ναυάγιο

naufrágio

naufragi

Schiffswrack

Wrack

accident

naufragium

Unglück

Pronounced as (IPA)

/ˈʃɪpɹɛk/

Etymology

Inherited from Middle English: shipwrak

Inherited from Old English: sċipwræc

Cognate with Scots: schip-wrak

Cognate with Swedish: skeppsvrak

Cognate with Danish: skibsvrag

In summary

From Middle English shipwrak, from Old English sċipwræc (“jetsam”), equivalent to ship + wrack. Cognate with Scots schip-wrak (“to shipwreck”, verb), Swedish skeppsvrak (“shipwreck”), Danish skibsvrag (“shipwreck”). Modern form is due to influence from wreck.