debris

Meanings

1. 1noununcountable

   Scattered broken pieces left behind after something is destroyed or wrecked.

   Grammar: Takes a singular verb: the debris was cleared; no plural s.

   Patterns

   • debris from something

   Debris from the storm blocked the road.

   Rescue workers searched through the debris of the collapsed building.

   The plane left a trail of debris across the field.

2. 2noununcountable

   Rubbish or loose fragments lying around, such as leaves and litter.

   Grammar: Often modified: garden debris.

   She raked up the garden debris after winter.

   The river was clogged with floating debris.

   Clear the debris from the gutters before the rains.

3. 3noununcountabletechnical

   Man-made objects left orbiting Earth, such as bits of old satellites.

   Grammar: Often space debris.

   Space debris can damage working satellites.

   Agencies track debris so spacecraft can avoid it.

   The collision created a cloud of debris.

Common combinations

clear the debris

Volunteers helped clear the debris after the flood.

falling debris

Falling debris injured two pedestrians.

scattered debris

Scattered debris covered the highway.

space debris

Space debris is a growing hazard for satellites.

debris field

The investigators mapped the debris field.

Synonyms and how they differ

rubble

Rubble means broken stone or brick from buildings, so it is narrower than debris.

wreckage

Wreckage is what is left of a specific crashed vehicle or building.

litter

Litter is trash dropped carelessly, mostly paper and packaging.

remains

Remains are what is left of something, often with a feeling of respect or loss.

Word family

debris-strewn adjective

covered with scattered fragments

debride verb

to remove damaged tissue from a wound

debridement noun

the removal of dead tissue

Commonly confused: debris or debt?

Practice

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “debris”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

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