plural debris
də-ˈbrēz 
dā-ˈbrēz,
ˈdā-ˌbrēz,
British usually ˈde-(ˌ)brēz
1
: the remains of something broken down or destroyed
digging through the storm's debris in search of survivors
sifted through the debris of her broken marriage
2
geology
: an accumulation of fragments of rock
3
: something discarded : rubbish
picking up debris after the parade
Synonyms
Examples of debris in a Sentence
After the earthquake, rescuers began digging through the debris in search of survivors.
Everything was covered by dust and debris.
Recent Examples on the Web
The discovery came amid salvage efforts to haul away tons of steel debris that officials have said prevented divers from locating multiple victims who were on the Francis Scott Key Bridge when it was rammed by a large container ship and collapsed into the water last week.
—
Sarah Dewberry, CNN, 6 Apr. 2024
To allow vessels through safely, the river must be completely cleared of debris.
—Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 5 Apr. 2024
See all Example Sentences for debris 
Sarah Dewberry, CNN, 6 Apr. 2024
To allow vessels through safely, the river must be completely cleared of debris.
—Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 5 Apr. 2024
See all Example Sentences for debris
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'debris.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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Cite this Entry
“Debris.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/debris. Accessed 18 Apr. 2024.
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Medical Definition
debris
noun
de·bris
də-ˈbrē, dā-ˈ, ˈdā-ˌ, British usually ˈdeb-(ˌ)rē
plural debris
: organic waste from dead or damaged tissue
a wound obscured by blood and debris—Emergency Medicine
Emergency MedicineLove words? Need even more definitions?
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