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Definition of wreak
transitive verb
1a archaic : avengeb : to cause the infliction of (vengeance or punishment)
2 : to give free play or course to (malevolent feeling)
3 : bring about, cause wreak havoc
From the M-W Editors
wreak was our Word of the Day on 07/25/2017. Hear the podcast!
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Examples of wreak in a Sentence
Gangs have been wreaking mayhem in the city.
Recent Examples of wreak from the Web
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Indeed, the U.S. has few options in dealing with North Korea: most of them expected to result in a North Korean military response that could wreak havoc on South Korea, Japan, and U.S. military assets in the region.
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The weevil can wreak havoc on date palms, Canary Island date palms, coconut palms, African oil palms, sago palms and Washingtonia fan palms.
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The wild storm that wreaked havoc on the Tri-Cities this week apparently spared cherries, blueberries and other crops in the region.
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But then Hamilton drew a leadoff walk and wreaked havoc on Brewers reliever Corey Knebel.
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A broad look at all viruses known to infect mammals suggests that bats are, indeed, more likely to carry unknown pathogens that can wreak havoc on humans.
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But those platforms can wreak havoc on the paychecks and personal lives of workers, who may not be able to plan dinner, let alone shifts at a second job, because of random, often last-minute scheduling.
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Even more than 50 years later, that name still holds legendary status in south Louisiana, serving as a scar-memory of the utter devastation hurricanes can wreak.
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In New Jersey, hunters dynamited the waters around Matawan to wreak as much damage as possible.
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'wreak'. Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Did You Know?
Wreak is a venerable word that first appeared in Old English as wrecan, meaning "to drive, drive out, punish, or avenge." "Wrecan" is related to a number of similar words in the Germanic languages, including Middle Dutch "wreken" ("to punish, avenge"), Old High German rehhan ("to avenge"), Old Norse "reka" ("to drive, push, or avenge"), and Gothic "wrikan" ("to persecute"). It may also be related to Latin urgēre ("to drive on, urge"), the source of the English verb "urge." In modern English, vengeance is a common object of the verb "wreak," reflecting one of its earlier uses in the sense "to take vengeance for" - as when Shakespeare's Titus Andronicus proclaims "We will solicit heaven, and move the gods / To send down Justice for to wreak our wrongs."
Origin and Etymology of wreak
Middle English wreken, from Old English wrecan to drive, punish, avenge; akin to Old High German rehhan to avenge and perhaps to Latin urgēre to drive on, urge
WREAK Defined for English Language Learners
wreak
playDefinition of wreak for English Language Learners
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: to cause (something very harmful or damaging)
WREAK Defined for Kids
wreak
playDefinition of wreak for Students
wreaked
;wreaking
: to bring down as or as if punishment The storm wreaked destruction.
Learn More about wreak
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See words that rhyme with wreak Spanish Central: Translation of wreak Nglish: Translation of wreak for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of wreak for Arabic speakers
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