Word

debris

noun C1

UK /ˈdɛbɹi/

US /dəˈbɹiː/

Meanings

noun

scattered pieces of something damaged or destroyed; fragments left after an event

noun

small unwanted material or waste that collects in an area, especially in water or along a shore

Definition

Debris is the scattered remains of something that has been broken, destroyed, or left behind.

Debris refers to pieces of waste or scattered material, often after an accident, storm, demolition, or other damage. It can include broken wood, glass, metal, or natural material like branches. The word is usually uncountable in general use, meaning “a mass of fragments.”

Examples

After the explosion, firefighters searched the debris for anything that could explain what happened.
I had to clear debris from my driveway before I could even open the garage door.
The journalist described how debris still littered the square weeks after the building collapsed.
They installed a barrier to stop debris from falling onto the busy sidewalk below.

Common mistake

Learners often treat it as a countable noun (e.g., “a debris” or “debrises”), but it is usually uncountable: “some debris” or “pieces of debris.”