View synonyms for

wreak havoc

[reek hav-uhk]

Phonetic (Standard)IPA

idiom

to cause considerable confusion, disorder, or damage.
Solar flares can wreak havoc with satellites and other expensive electronics on the ground.

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Word History and Origins

Origin of wreak havoc¹

First recorded in 1925–30

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Idioms and Phrases

see play havoc.

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Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

Edward Maguire, a criminologist at Arizona State University, said that’s “a common dynamic” during times of major protest, with “criminal offenders” taking advantage of the commotion — and, often, the nighttime darkness — to wreak havoc near the sites of more ideologically-motivated demonstrations.

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It will put more firearms in the hands of criminals who will use them to wreak havoc.

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However, critics say the protections could wreak havoc on steel producers outside the US, spark retaliation from trade partners, and come at a punishing cost for American users of the metals.

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In a hearing late last month, the author in the Texas House, Republican Rep. Jeff Leach, told his colleagues that the pills “wreak havoc on a woman’s body.”

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For a small, slim margin business like Guittard, tariffs have the potential to wreak havoc, as prices are expected to rise even more, creating fresh uncertainties for manufacturers that depend on materials from abroad.

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When To Use

�� does wreak havoc mean?

To wreak havoc is to cause chaos or destruction or both.Wreak means to inflict or cause. Havoc means chaos, disorder, or confusion. It can also mean destruction, damage, or ruin. In many cases, it refers to a combination of these things.The phrases play havoc and raise havoc mean the same thing as wreak havoc. The past tense of wreak havoc is wreaked havoc. Sometimes, the word wrought is used as a past tense of wreak. This isn’t considered standard usage, but the phrase wrought havoc still makes sense.Havoc is associated with seriously destructive and chaotic situations, such as natural disasters, as in The hurricane wreaked havoc throughout the region. But it can be used in a range of situations. An illness can wreak havoc on your body. A virus can wreak havoc in a computer network. The wind can wreak havoc on your hair. In most cases, to wreak havoc is to disrupt a situation that was (at least somewhat) orderly by making it become disorderly, especially when there is damage or destruction involved.Example: A major accident on the highway has wreaked havoc on the morning commute, causing traffic jams and delays for miles around.

wreak wreath

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