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
Throwing that detritus away is the third-most expensive component of sweeping.
—
Sacbee.com, 14 July 2025
The swollen river has receded, leaving behind heartbreaking signs of the devastation: little girls’ suitcases and clothes strewn along the wrecked cabin grounds and plush toys caked with detritus, twisted metal and gnarled vehicles.
—Jon Schuppe, NBC news, 8 July 2025
Marcus, still navigating the grief and logistical detritus of losing his mother, earns recognition as an up-and-coming chef by Food & Wine magazine.
—Nicholas Quah, Vulture, 26 June 2025
One artist talked about how, for them, the apron absorbed the detritus of all the things that happened in the home, not just the mess from cooking or cleaning, but emotional fallout too.
—Nicole Mowbray, CNN Money, 25 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for detritus
Sacbee.com, 14 July 2025
The swollen river has receded, leaving behind heartbreaking signs of the devastation: little girls’ suitcases and clothes strewn along the wrecked cabin grounds and plush toys caked with detritus, twisted metal and gnarled vehicles.
—Jon Schuppe, NBC news, 8 July 2025
Marcus, still navigating the grief and logistical detritus of losing his mother, earns recognition as an up-and-coming chef by Food & Wine magazine.
—Nicholas Quah, Vulture, 26 June 2025
One artist talked about how, for them, the apron absorbed the detritus of all the things that happened in the home, not just the mess from cooking or cleaning, but emotional fallout too.
—Nicole Mowbray, CNN Money, 25 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for detritus
Recent Examples of Synonyms for detritus
Noun
-
The Perseids are active every July and August as Earth barrels through the trail of dusty debris shed by the wandering comet 109P/Swift-Tuttle.—
Anthony Wood,
Space.com,
13 Aug. 2025
-
That said, while a bit of debris escaped after powering down, the vacuum still delivered from start to finish.—
Toni Sutton,
People.com,
13 Aug. 2025
Noun
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Nineteen people were killed, and more than 4,400 homes were reduced to ash and toxic rubble.—
Jill Cowan,
New York Times,
19 Aug. 2025
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By 1984, with help from Genevieve Brooks’s organization, families were moving into ranch houses on the former rubble field where Carter had once stood—wildflowers blooming in the burn scar.—
Daniel Immerwahr,
New Yorker,
18 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
Creating the aftermath of Maginot’s wreckage in Prodigy City was another feat.—
Daron James,
IndieWire,
13 Aug. 2025
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First responders were able to rescue Heche from the wreckage, and she was rushed to a nearby hospital in critical condition.—
Samantha Stutsman,
People.com,
5 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Detritus.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/detritus. Accessed 23 Aug. 2025.
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