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
In 1997, 43 mph winds wreaked havoc on the parade, and two people were injured after a Cat-in-the-Hat balloon broke the metal arm off a lamppost.
—
Simmone Shah, Time, 25 Nov. 2025
After moving to the East Coast from the West Coast for medical school, the cold environment and stress wreaked havoc on her skin, causing flare ups in new areas.
—Amanda Ogle, Flow Space, 21 Nov. 2025
The clip focuses on a group of teens skating, wreaking havoc, spraypainting graffiti and rocking out to Megadeth, all while Mustaine gives the camera the middle finger and slams a bottle in a skater’s face.
—Kory Grow, Rolling Stone, 14 Nov. 2025
Clashes between Islamist militants have become a central feature of the conflict wreaking havoc across the Sahel and West Africa, including in Nigeria, where Boko Haram has engaged in frequent battles with a splinter faction aligned with ISIS' Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP).
—Tom O'Connor, MSNBC Newsweek, 14 Nov. 2025
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Simmone Shah, Time, 25 Nov. 2025
After moving to the East Coast from the West Coast for medical school, the cold environment and stress wreaked havoc on her skin, causing flare ups in new areas.
—Amanda Ogle, Flow Space, 21 Nov. 2025
The clip focuses on a group of teens skating, wreaking havoc, spraypainting graffiti and rocking out to Megadeth, all while Mustaine gives the camera the middle finger and slams a bottle in a skater’s face.
—Kory Grow, Rolling Stone, 14 Nov. 2025
Clashes between Islamist militants have become a central feature of the conflict wreaking havoc across the Sahel and West Africa, including in Nigeria, where Boko Haram has engaged in frequent battles with a splinter faction aligned with ISIS' Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP).
—Tom O'Connor, MSNBC Newsweek, 14 Nov. 2025
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 3 Dec. 2025.
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