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
The avalanche temporarily dammed the Lonza River, which runs through Blatten, and small lakes, filled with dead trees and detritus from homes, formed on each side of the village.
—
Daniel A. Gross, New Yorker, 27 Aug. 2025
Some feed on other small living matter like algae, plankton, arthropods, and other worms, while others simply eat detritus: loose, dead organic material in the sediment.
—Owen Clarke, Outside, 11 Aug. 2025
Dahlias, zinnias, and other cut-and-come-again flowers often come with soil, cobwebs, and detritus attached to them.
—Andy Wilcox, Better Homes & Gardens, 5 Aug. 2025
Should nature call, there are shovel-ready handlers to remove the detritus.
—Kathy Berdan, Twin Cities, 27 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for detritus
Daniel A. Gross, New Yorker, 27 Aug. 2025
Some feed on other small living matter like algae, plankton, arthropods, and other worms, while others simply eat detritus: loose, dead organic material in the sediment.
—Owen Clarke, Outside, 11 Aug. 2025
Dahlias, zinnias, and other cut-and-come-again flowers often come with soil, cobwebs, and detritus attached to them.
—Andy Wilcox, Better Homes & Gardens, 5 Aug. 2025
Should nature call, there are shovel-ready handlers to remove the detritus.
—Kathy Berdan, Twin Cities, 27 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for detritus
Recent Examples of Synonyms for detritus
Noun
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Some residents have found debris as far as two miles from the facility, according to the Hickman County Sheriff’s office.—
Isabel Rosales,
CNN Money,
16 Oct. 2025
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Although the company has made major strides since Starship debuted in 2023, a spate of four failures marred its progress this year, including two explosions that rained debris over parts of the Caribbean.—
Denise Chow,
NBC news,
16 Oct. 2025
Noun
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News footage showed Red Cross vehicles traveling through the rubble of Gaza on route to an Israeli military base in Southern Israel.—
Ted Johnson,
Deadline,
13 Oct. 2025
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Many returned to their homes over the weekend, only to find them under heaps of rubble.—
Ruth Margalit,
New Yorker,
13 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Two broken palm trees rested on the wreckage.—
Sydney Barragan,
Oc Register,
12 Oct. 2025
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Two people were pulled from the helicopter wreckage and three others on the ground were hurt, a city of Huntington Beach spokesperson said in a statement.—
Alyssa Pone,
ABC News,
11 Oct. 2025
Noun
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The enclave lies in ruins, and a vast majority of the population lives without adequate access to shelter and medical care.—
Freddie Clayton,
NBC news,
16 Oct. 2025
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Their existence ended with a mysterious collapse, leaving behind ruins of their cities in Guatemala's northernmost corner.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
16 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Detritus.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/detritus. Accessed 17 Oct. 2025.
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