crash and wreck share a recorded sense, so the question is not what they mean but which one fits. crash means “fall or come down violently”. wreck means “something or someone that has suffered ruin or dilapidation”. crash is the more common of the two in everyday English.
/ˈkɹæʃ/
1.v.fall or come down violently
“The branch crashed down on my car”
2.v.move with, or as if with, a crashing noise
“The car crashed through the glass door”
3.v.undergo damage or destruction on impact
“the plane crashed into the ocean”
/ˈɹɛk/
1.n.something or someone that has suffered ruin or dilapidation
“the house was a wreck when they bought it”
2.n.an accident that destroys a ship at sea
3.n.a serious accident (usually involving one or more vehicles)
“they are still investigating the crash of the TWA plane”
| crash | wreck | |
|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | /ˈkɹæʃ/ | /ˈɹɛk/ |
| Said | krash | rek |
| Syllables | 1 | 1 |
| Letters | 5 | 5 |
| Parts of speech | verb, noun | noun, verb |
| Senses | 18 | 5 |
| How common | Core | Common |
| Synonyms | none recorded | none recorded |
Full entry for crash · Full entry for wreck · More comparisons