plural debris
də-ˈbrēz 
dā-ˈbrēz,
ˈdā-ˌbrēz,
British usually ˈde-(ˌ)brēz
1
: the remains of something broken down or destroyed
digging through the storm's debris in search of survivors
sifted through the debris of her broken marriage
2
geology
: an accumulation of fragments of rock
3
: something discarded : rubbish
picking up debris after the parade
Synonyms
Examples of debris in a Sentence
After the earthquake, rescuers began digging through the debris in search of survivors.
Everything was covered by dust and debris.
Recent Examples on the Web
About 11 million years ago, an asteroid collided with Mars, sending plumes of debris beyond the planet’s atmosphere.
—
Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 14 Nov. 2024
Deep water surrounded much of the area, so someone had placed sheets of wood on top of a chain link fence and balanced both on blocks of plastic foam, creating a makeshift barge that could pull piles of debris from shore to shore.
Skid loaders crisscrossed the nearby sand.
—Blake Nelson, The Mercury News, 12 Nov. 2024
The suction is strong enough to pull debris right up.
—Shea Simmons, People.com, 5 Nov. 2024
Every year from September to November, the Earth passes through a broad stream of debris left by comets.
—Julia Jacobo, ABC News, 4 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for debris 
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Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 14 Nov. 2024
Deep water surrounded much of the area, so someone had placed sheets of wood on top of a chain link fence and balanced both on blocks of plastic foam, creating a makeshift barge that could pull piles of debris from shore to shore.
Skid loaders crisscrossed the nearby sand.
—Blake Nelson, The Mercury News, 12 Nov. 2024
The suction is strong enough to pull debris right up.
—Shea Simmons, People.com, 5 Nov. 2024
Every year from September to November, the Earth passes through a broad stream of debris left by comets.
—Julia Jacobo, ABC News, 4 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for debris
Dictionary Entries Near debris
Cite this Entry
“Debris.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/debris. Accessed 30 Nov. 2024.
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Medical Definition
debris
noun
de·bris
də-ˈbrē, dā-ˈ, ˈdā-ˌ, British usually ˈdeb-(ˌ)rē
plural debris
: organic waste from dead or damaged tissue
a wound obscured by blood and debris—Emergency Medicine
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