First Known Use: 12th century
Dictionary
1shipwreck
noun ship·wreck \-ˌrek\
: the destruction or sinking of a ship at sea
: a ruined or destroyed ship
Full Definition of SHIPWRECK
1
: a wrecked ship or its parts
2
: the destruction or loss of a ship
3
: an irretrievable loss or failure
See shipwreck defined for English-language learners
See shipwreck defined for kids
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Origin of SHIPWRECK
alteration of earlier shipwrack, from Middle English schipwrak, from Old English scipwræc, from scip ship + wræc something driven by the sea — more at wrack
Related to SHIPWRECK
- Synonyms
- shipwrecking, wreck, wreckage, wrecking
- Antonyms
- blockbuster, hit, smash, success, winner
Rhymes with SHIPWRECK
Atrek, Aztec, Baalbek, bed check, bedeck, Birkbeck, Bishkek, blank check, boatneck, breakneck, bull neck, cowl-neck, crew neck, cromlech, crookneck, cross-check, ewe-neck, exec, fact-check, flight deck, flyspeck, forecheck, foredeck, gooseneck, gut check, haček, hatcheck, henpeck, high tech, hook check, in check, Kazbek, kopeck, limbeck, longneck, low-tech, Mixtec, on deck, OPEC, parsec, paycheck, pinchbeck, poop deck, rain check, rebec, ringneck, roll-neck, roughneck, samekh, spell-check, spot-check, Steinbeck, sundeck, tape deck, tenrec, Toltec, Uzbek, V-neck, vo-tech, Waldeck, Warbeck, well deck, wryneck, xebec
2shipwreck
transitive verb
Definition of SHIPWRECK
1
a : to cause to experience shipwreck b : ruin
2
: to destroy (a ship) by grounding or foundering
First Known Use of SHIPWRECK
1589
SHIPWRECK Defined for Kids
1shipwreck
noun ship·wreck \ˈship-ˌrek\
Definition of SHIPWRECK for Kids
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.>
2shipwreck
verb
ship·wreckedship·wreck·ing
Definition of SHIPWRECK for Kids
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
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