wreck

B2 Topic:Actions & Processes

US /ˈɹɛk/ See IPA manual

Minimal pairs

Sounds like rack /ɛ/ vs /æ/ Sounds like wrack /ɛ/ vs /æ/

Freq #4504

Meanings

1

verb
To damage or destroy something badly so that it no longer works.

He wrecked the car in a collision.
2

noun
A vehicle, ship, or building that has been badly damaged or destroyed.

The house was a wreck when they bought it.
3

noun
A person who is in very poor physical or emotional condition.

He was an emotional wreck after the death of his wife.
4

verb
To ruin someone's plans, hopes, or chances of success.

One careless mistake wrecked her chances of winning.

Verb forms

Verb forms are not available for this word yet.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 verb · to damage or destroy... destroy ruin demolish

3 noun · a person who is in very... messbasket case

4 verb · to ruin someone's plans,... ruin spoil

More crash ruins

Opposites

build construct make produce

Word family

Forms wreckedwreckingwrecks

Derived forms bewrecknerve-wreckshipwreck wreckage wrecker

Simplified etymology

Wreck came into Middle English from Old French wrec, initially meaning cargo or wreckage washed ashore from a stranded or wrecked vessel. The French word ultimately derives from an Old Norse verb meaning “to drive,” also related to wreak.

Etymology

From Middle English wrek, from Anglo-Norman wrek, from Old Norse *wrek (Norwegian and Icelandic rek, Swedish vrak, Danish vrag), from Proto-Germanic *wrekaną, whence also Old English wrecan (English wreak), Old High German rehhan, Old Saxon wrekan, Gothic 𐍅𐍂𐌹𐌺𐌰𐌽 (wrikan).

wrek Middle English *wrek Old Norse *wrekaną Proto-Germanic

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Actions & Processes

External links

# wreck

**Type:** Word
**Level:** B2
**Part of speech:** verb, noun
**IPA (US):** /ˈɹɛk/
**Frequency rank:** 4504

## Meanings
1. To damage or destroy something badly so that it no longer works.
2. A vehicle, ship, or building that has been badly damaged or destroyed.
3. A person who is in very poor physical or emotional condition.
4. To ruin someone's plans, hopes, or chances of success.

## Examples
- He wrecked the car in a collision.
- The house was a wreck when they bought it.
- He was an emotional wreck after the death of his wife.
- One careless mistake wrecked her chances of winning.

## Synonyms
- crash
- ruins

## Antonyms
- build
- construct
- make
- produce

## Derived Forms
- bewreck
- nerve-wreck
- shipwreck
- wreckage
- wrecker

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: wrek
- Root: *wrek
- Root: *wrekaną

## Etymology
From Middle English wrek, from Anglo-Norman wrek, from Old Norse *wrek (Norwegian and Icelandic rek, Swedish vrak, Danish vrag), from Proto-Germanic *wrekaną, whence also Old English wrecan (English wreak), Old High German rehhan, Old Saxon wrekan, Gothic 𐍅𐍂𐌹𐌺𐌰𐌽 (wrikan).

## AI Etymology
Wreck is from Middle English wrek, from Anglo-Norman wrek, from Old Norse *wrek (Norwegian and Icelandic rek, Swedish vrak, Danish vrag), from Proto-Germanic *wrekaną, whence also Old English wrecan (English wreak), Old High German rehhan, Old Saxon wrekan, Gothic 𐍅𐍂𐌹𐌺𐌰𐌽 (wrikan). Important historical forms include Middle English wrek, Anglo-Norman wrek, Old Norse *wrek, and Proto-Germanic *wrekaną. In present-day use, it can mean to damage or destroy something badly so that it no longer works, or a vehicle, ship, or building that has been badly damaged or destroyed.

## Topics
- Actions & Processes

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