wreak havoc

phrase

: 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

While often cast as a rainmaker in Southern California, El Niño can also wreak havoc on the coastline. — Los Angeles Times, 7 Oct. 2026

Another test awaits Sunday, with Brian Flores’ blitzing Vikings defense hoping to wreak havoc on a Dolphins offense that has the second-lowest pass block win rate in football, per ESPN. — Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 3 Oct. 2026

In late August, a horrific but fortunately injury-free blaze at the Folsom Flea Market wreaked havoc on a number of small local businesses operating out of the space. — Aaron Davis, Sacbee.com, 2 Oct. 2026

Silver Maple While eye-catching during fall, silver maple trees (Acer saccharinum) can wreak havoc on concrete surfaces like driveways, sidewalks, and even your home’s foundation. — Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 2 Oct. 2026