as in debris
the portion or bits of something left over or behind after it has been destroyed
the expanse of tree stumps represented the detritus of a vast forest that had been mercilessly clear-cut
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of detritus
These microbes metabolize unspent sugars in the mash and the yeast detritus.
—
Joseph V Micallef, Forbes.com, 26 Apr. 2025
Then came another wait to dump their loads — an untold number of incinerated living room sets, teddy bears, running shoes and other detritus, spilling into a final resting place.
—James Rainey, Los Angeles Times, 20 Apr. 2025
The office is windowless, a little dusty, and filled with knickknacks and junk stacked above head height: an old barber’s chair, paintings, posters, neighborhood detritus.
—Zach Helfand, The New Yorker, 10 Mar. 2025
The detritus of overproduction that lingers on in landfills is part of us, her work suggests, an extension of our physical selves and a monument.
—Zoë Lescaze, New York Times, 21 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for detritus
Joseph V Micallef, Forbes.com, 26 Apr. 2025
Then came another wait to dump their loads — an untold number of incinerated living room sets, teddy bears, running shoes and other detritus, spilling into a final resting place.
—James Rainey, Los Angeles Times, 20 Apr. 2025
The office is windowless, a little dusty, and filled with knickknacks and junk stacked above head height: an old barber’s chair, paintings, posters, neighborhood detritus.
—Zach Helfand, The New Yorker, 10 Mar. 2025
The detritus of overproduction that lingers on in landfills is part of us, her work suggests, an extension of our physical selves and a monument.
—Zoë Lescaze, New York Times, 21 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for detritus
Recent Examples of Synonyms for detritus
Noun
-
In February 2025, officials noted that although Lake James is safe for swimming and boating in the summer 2025 season, boaters need to take extra caution with remaining debris in the water after Hurricane Helene.—
Melissa Oyler,
Charlotte Observer,
22 May 2025
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On both occasions, the rocket's upper stage shut down its engines prematurely and the vehicle lost control, breaking apart in the upper atmosphere and spreading debris near the Bahamas and the Turks and Caicos Islands.—
John Timmer,
ArsTechnica,
22 May 2025
Noun
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How '9-1-1' moves on after Bobby's death: Tears, anger, and surprise returns Angela Bassett thought her '9-1-1' character would be killed off In the laundry room, Athena finds Donnie and Graham trapped under rubble.—
Randall Colburn,
EW.com,
16 May 2025
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Neighbor Derek Keating ran into the home and attempted to rescue his neighbor, who was trapped under the rubble as gas was leaking.—
Michael Dorgan,
FOXNews.com,
21 May 2025
Noun
-
Sparks fly from the wreckage like shooting stars falling from heaven.—
Amanda Whiting,
Vulture,
20 May 2025
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Kyffin Simpson flipped over during Fast Friday, with Colton Herta went airborne during Saturday's qualifying. 2025 INDY 500 ODDS: KYLE LARSON DROPS ON BOARD AFTER QUALIFYING 21ST McLaughlin was able to emerge from the wreckage and appeared to avoid any major injuries.—
Chantz Martin,
FOXNews.com,
18 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Detritus.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/detritus. Accessed 4 Jun. 2025.
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