havoc

1 of 2

noun

hav·​oc ˈha-vək How to pronounce havoc (audio)
-vik
1
: wide and general destruction : devastation
A tornado wreaked havoc on the town two years ago.
2
: great confusion and disorder
the blackout caused havoc in the city

havoc

2 of 2

verb

havocked; havocking

transitive verb

: to lay waste : destroy

Examples of havoc in a Sentence

Noun The disease can play havoc with the body's immune system. Several small children can create havoc in a house.
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
The millions of people traveling for Memorial Day weekend have been warned that the wild weather could play havoc with travel plans. CBS News, 25 May 2024 The havoc has yet to be fully assessed, and Ascension is intent on keeping as much of its operations open as possible. Reed Abelson, New York Times, 23 May 2024 See all Example Sentences for havoc 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'havoc.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English havok, from Anglo-French, modification of Old French havot plunder

Verb

derivative of havoc entry 1

First Known Use

Noun

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1575, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of havoc was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near havoc

Cite this Entry

“Havoc.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/havoc. Accessed 31 May. 2024.

Kids Definition

havoc

noun
hav·​oc
ˈhav-ək
1
: wide and general destruction
havoc caused by a tornado
2
: great confusion and disorder

More from Merriam-Webster on havoc

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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