wreck
gb/ɹˈɛk/ us/ɹˈɛk/
B1
English
~ 5000
roncs, rom, tönkretesz, romba dönt, összetör, idegroncs, kikészült
NOUN
B1
1
Usage pattern:
the wreck of [something]
The police found the wreck of the car in a ditch.
A rendőrség egy árokban találta meg az autó roncsát.
Divers explored the wreck of the old pirate ship.
A búvárok bejárták a régi kalózhajó roncsát.
The train wreck caused delays for hours.
He bought the wreck and restored it to working condition.
Learner examples
We saw the wreck of the car.
Láttuk az autó roncsát.
They looked at the wreck of the boat.
Megnézték a hajó roncsát.
The plane wreck was in the field.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'wreck' with 'rack'. 'Wreck' means something destroyed; 'rack' is a frame for holding things.
Meaning
Ruined remains after destruction
Collocations
car wreck
|ship wreck
|train wreck
|plane wreck
Synonyms
ruins (Often used for buildings; broader than vehicles or ships.)
|
debris (Emphasizes scattered pieces rather than the whole damaged object.)
Antonyms
intact (Means undamaged or whole, the opposite of wrecked.)
Themes
transportation
|accidents
|disasters
|travel
|core_vocabulary
Definition
What is left of something after it has been badly damaged or destroyed.
The broken or ruined remains of a vehicle, ship, building, or other structure after an accident or disaster.
VERB
B1
2
Usage pattern:
to wreck [something]
The storm wrecked several houses along the coast.
A vihar több házat is romba döntött a part mentén.
He wrecked his car in the crash.
A karambolban összetörte az autóját.
The scandal wrecked her political career.
Poor planning can wreck a good idea.
Learner examples
The storm wrecked our house.
A vihar tönkretette a házunkat.
He wrecked his bike in the accident.
A balesetben összetörte a biciklijét.
The fire wrecked the store.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes overuse 'wreck' for minor damage; it usually means severe harm.
Meaning
Cause serious damage to something
Collocations
wreck a car
|wreck a plan
|wreck a building
Synonyms
ruin (Can be broader and include emotional or abstract harm.)
|
destroy (Stronger and more absolute; total elimination.)
Antonyms
repair (To fix something that is damaged, the opposite of causing damage.)
Themes
damage
|conflict
|accidents
|daily_life
|core_vocabulary
Definition
To damage something so much that it cannot be used.
To severely damage or destroy something so that it cannot be used or repaired easily.
NOUN
B2
INFORMAL
3
After the breakup, she was an emotional wreck.
A szakítás után lelkileg teljesen összeomlott.
He’s been working so hard he’s a complete wreck.
Olyan sokat dolgozik mostanában, hogy teljesen kikészült.
By the end of the race, I felt like a wreck.
Learner examples
I was a nervous wreck before the test.
Idegroncs voltam a vizsga előtt.
She is an emotional wreck after the news.
A hír óta teljesen ki van borulva.
He is a wreck from too much work.
Common mistake:
Learners may try to use 'wreck' in this sense in formal writing; it's mostly informal speech.
Meaning
Person in poor condition
Collocations
a nervous wreck
|an emotional wreck
Synonyms
mess (Informal; can refer to emotional state or general disorder.)
|
ruin (Figurative use for a person's condition.)
Antonyms
picture of health (Idiom meaning very healthy, opposite of being a wreck physically.)
Themes
health
|emotions
|core_vocabulary
Definition
A person who is very tired, sick, or upset.
A person who is in a very bad physical or mental state, often from stress, illness, or exhaustion.
Grammar
Dictionary form
wreck
IPA
GB/ɹˈɛk/
US/ɹˈɛk/
Syllables & stress
wreck (1 syllable)
Stress on 1st syllable (wreck)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: wreck
- Plural: wreck, wrecks
Verb
- Base: wreck
- 3rd Person Singular: wrecks
- Present Participle: wrecking
- Past: wrecked
Word family
Forms
wrecks
noun
wrecking
verb
wrecked
verb
Core family
wreckage
noun
Related words
wrecker
noun
shipwreck
noun
Expressions
emotional wreck
1/ɪmˈoʊʃənəl ɹˈɛk/
fixed phrase
informal
Emotionally unstable person
A person who feels very sad or upset and cannot think clearly.
Examples
- After the divorce, he was an emotional wreck for months.
- She's an emotional wreck since her father passed away.
nervous wreck
1/nˈɚvəs ɹˈɛk/
fixed phrase
informal
Extremely anxious person
A person who is very worried or stressed.
Examples
- Before the job interview, I was a nervous wreck.
- She's been a nervous wreck all week waiting for test results.
shipwreck
1/ʃˈɪpɹɛk/
fixed phrase
Ship destroyed at sea
When a ship is destroyed in an accident at sea.
Examples
- The island is famous for an old shipwreck near its shore.
- Many lives were lost in the shipwreck.
train wreck
1/tɹˈeɪn ɹˈɛk/
idiom
informal
Total disaster situation
A situation that goes very badly and is hard to watch.
Examples
- The meeting was a total train wreck from start to finish.
- His speech turned into a train wreck when he forgot his notes.