as in debris
the portion or bits of something left over or behind after it has been destroyed
the dispirited family picked through the flotsam of their possessions after the hurricane, looking for anything that could be salvaged
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of flotsam
Jupiter’s location in the path of the Gulf Stream means there’s a constant flow of tropical water that improves the ocean’s clarity and visibility by carrying out any algae, flotsam, or runoff that accumulates.
—
Tara Massouleh McCay, Southern Living, 24 Jan. 2025
These and a flotilla of Biden policy flotsam will persist into the Trump administration if Congress passes yet another CR.
—Gord Magill, Newsweek, 20 Dec. 2024
The strain of slop on Medium tends toward the banal, especially compared with the dadaist flotsam clogging Facebook.
—Kate Knibbs, WIRED, 28 Oct. 2024
Federal officials and experts are warning that the winds and floodwaters from Helene that wrecked the Southeast carry unscrupulous fraudsters amid the flotsam.
—Michael Loria, USA TODAY, 2 Oct. 2024
See All Example Sentences for flotsam
Tara Massouleh McCay, Southern Living, 24 Jan. 2025
These and a flotilla of Biden policy flotsam will persist into the Trump administration if Congress passes yet another CR.
—Gord Magill, Newsweek, 20 Dec. 2024
The strain of slop on Medium tends toward the banal, especially compared with the dadaist flotsam clogging Facebook.
—Kate Knibbs, WIRED, 28 Oct. 2024
Federal officials and experts are warning that the winds and floodwaters from Helene that wrecked the Southeast carry unscrupulous fraudsters amid the flotsam.
—Michael Loria, USA TODAY, 2 Oct. 2024
See All Example Sentences for flotsam
Recent Examples of Synonyms for flotsam
Noun
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The mayor reported falling debris and fires in three districts of the capital.—
David Brennan,
ABC News,
23 Mar. 2025
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Dazed individuals are seen walking among debris in a hallway, with smoke in the air and power knocked out.—
Abeer Salman,
CNN,
23 Mar. 2025
Noun
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At least two of the dead were construction workers who were killed by falling rubble or debris, rescue worker Songwut Wangpon told reporters.—
David Rising,
Chicago Tribune,
28 Mar. 2025
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So far, federal cleanup crews have cleared ash and rubble from more than 860 properties, according to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.—
Tony Briscoe,
Los Angeles Times,
27 Mar. 2025
Noun
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The team of masons, covered in dust and sweat, had been working in the ruins of the Altadena house for hours when a shout echoed across the wreckage.—
Laura J. Nelson,
Los Angeles Times,
18 Mar. 2025
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Night Watch studied the wreckage and then tweaked the Lima jammer and the plan for deploying the jammer, Kazarian said.—
David Axe,
Forbes,
17 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Flotsam.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/flotsam. Accessed 3 Apr. 2025.
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