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
Though beneficial for water supplies, such events can wreak havoc on travel, bring deadly mudslides and cause catastrophic damage to life and property, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said.
—
Doyle Rice, USA Today, 22 Oct. 2025
Actors in gray suits with orange ping pong balls on their heads stand in for the CGI Demogorgons that will battle these military men and wreak havoc in the town.
—Eliana Dockterman, Time, 20 Oct. 2025
Beyond causing poor performance, old gasoline resins can gum up fuel lines and carburetors, wreaking havoc on your engine’s fuel delivery system.
—Kamron Sanders, Better Homes & Gardens, 19 Oct. 2025
As any new parent knows, the lack of sleep and the stress of caring for a newborn can wreak havoc on your body.
—Michelle Maves, MSNBC Newsweek, 18 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for wreak havoc
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Doyle Rice, USA Today, 22 Oct. 2025
Actors in gray suits with orange ping pong balls on their heads stand in for the CGI Demogorgons that will battle these military men and wreak havoc in the town.
—Eliana Dockterman, Time, 20 Oct. 2025
Beyond causing poor performance, old gasoline resins can gum up fuel lines and carburetors, wreaking havoc on your engine’s fuel delivery system.
—Kamron Sanders, Better Homes & Gardens, 19 Oct. 2025
As any new parent knows, the lack of sleep and the stress of caring for a newborn can wreak havoc on your body.
—Michelle Maves, MSNBC Newsweek, 18 Oct. 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 25 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share