What context can I use each word in?
Learn when and how to use these words with these examples!
shipwrecked
Example
The survivors of the shipwreck were stranded on the island for months. [shipwrecked: adjective]
Example
The ship was completely shipwrecked after hitting the rocks. [shipwrecked: verb]
castaway
Example
The castaway had to learn how to survive on the island with limited resources. [castaway: noun]
Example
The captain decided to castaway the crew member who disobeyed orders. [castaway: verb]
Good things to know
Which word is more common?
Shipwrecked is more commonly used than castaway in everyday language. Shipwrecked is often used to describe the event of a ship being destroyed or sunk, while castaway is less common and more specific to describing a person who is stranded.
What’s the difference in the tone of formality between shipwrecked and castaway?
Both shipwrecked and castaway are relatively informal words, but shipwrecked may be slightly more formal due to its wider usage in various contexts.