wreck

UK: /ˈrɛk/ US: /rɛk/ ,(rek)

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

wreck /rɛk/   n. 

1. [countable] a building, structure, or object that has been reduced, destroyed, or greatly damaged.
2. ruin;
   destruction:
   [uncountable] the wreck of our dreams.
3. [countable] a person of ruined physical or mental health.

v. [~ + object]

4. Nautical to cause the wreck of:
   wrecked the car.
5. to tear down;
   demolish:
   to wreck a building.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

wreck  (rek), n. 

1. any building, structure, or thing reduced to a state of ruin.
2. Nautical wreckage, goods, etc., remaining above water after a shipwreck, esp. when cast ashore.
3. Nautical the ruin or destruction of a vessel in the course of navigation;
   shipwreck.
4. Nautical a vessel in a state of ruin from disaster at sea, on rocks, etc.
5. the ruin or destruction of anything:
   the wreck of one's hopes.
6. a person of ruined health;
   someone in bad shape physically or mentally:
   The strain of his work left him a wreck.

v.t. 

7. Nautical to cause the wreck of (a vessel);
   shipwreck.
8. to involve in a wreck.
9. to cause the ruin or destruction of:
   to wreck a car.
10. to tear down;
    demolish:
    to wreck a building.
11. to ruin or impair severely:
    Fast living wrecked their health.

v.i. 

12. to be involved in a wreck;
    become wrecked:
    The trains wrecked at the crossing.
13. to act as a wrecker;
    engage in wrecking.

• Old Danish wrækæ wreck; (verb, verbal) late Middle English, derivative of the noun, nominal
• (noun, nominal) Middle English wrec, wrech, wrek 1200–50

Synonyms

• 9. destroy, devastate, shatter. See spoil. 

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

wreck / rɛk/ verb

1. to involve in or suffer disaster or destruction
2. (transitive) to cause the wreck of (a ship)

noun

1. the accidental destruction of a ship at sea
2. the ship so destroyed
3. goods cast ashore from a wrecked vessel
4. a person or thing that has suffered ruin or dilapidation
5. the remains of something that has been destroyed
6. the act of wrecking or the state of being wrecked; ruin or destruction

Etymology: 13th Century: from Scandinavian; compare Icelandic rek. See wrack², wreak