wreak havoc
idiom
: to cause great damage
A powerful tornado wreaked havoc on the small village.
The virus wreaked havoc on my computer.
Examples of wreak havoc in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Cats can wreak havoc on furniture and wound people.
—
Jane Sykes, Washington Post, 16 Feb. 2026
Severe cuts to critical federal revenues continue to wreak havoc on Santa Clara County’s finances, forcing county officials to slash 365 positions from the budget halfway through the fiscal year.
—Grace Hase, Mercury News, 16 Feb. 2026
Both the web series and the TV show allowed these characters to wreak havoc on the city of Toronto, frequently enlisting the help of unassuming and unprepared civilians, all in an effort of finally booking a single show.
—Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 13 Feb. 2026
The species is wreaking havoc on local ecosystems, especially in the Northeast.
—Julia Jacobo, ABC News, 9 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for wreak havoc
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Jane Sykes, Washington Post, 16 Feb. 2026
Severe cuts to critical federal revenues continue to wreak havoc on Santa Clara County’s finances, forcing county officials to slash 365 positions from the budget halfway through the fiscal year.
—Grace Hase, Mercury News, 16 Feb. 2026
Both the web series and the TV show allowed these characters to wreak havoc on the city of Toronto, frequently enlisting the help of unassuming and unprepared civilians, all in an effort of finally booking a single show.
—Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 13 Feb. 2026
The species is wreaking havoc on local ecosystems, especially in the Northeast.
—Julia Jacobo, ABC News, 9 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for wreak havoc
Cite this Entry
“Wreak havoc.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/wreak%20havoc. Accessed 23 Feb. 2026.
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