wrack

verb

Definition of wracknext
as in to ruin
to bring to a complete end the physical soundness, existence, or usefulness of it's amazing how a raging sea can wrack a seemingly sturdy beachfront home

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of wrack Kim The call left Kim Grindell disgusted, furious and wracked with guilt. — Rich Schapiro, NBC news, 20 June 2026 The chaos has compounded existing difficulties for poorer or developing economies, many of which were already wracked by public-debt crises that deepened in the aftermath of the COVID pandemic. — Ishaan Tharoor, New Yorker, 18 June 2026 Gordon Ramsay, the guest Evans calls the most nerve-wracking booking of his career, has become a friend. — Clayton Davis, Variety, 18 June 2026 This suffering earth is wracked by extremes. — Literary Hub, 10 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for wrack
Recent Examples of Synonyms for wrack
  1. ruin
  2. destroy
  3. wreck
  4. devastate
  5. shatter
  6. demolish
  7. smash
Verb
  • However, for some, gambling is an addiction that can ruin lives and families.
    — Don Sweeney, Sacbee.com, 15 July 2026
  • But Neill doesn’t lean into the crotchety loner stereotype that could have ruined the entire film, finding a core of relatable decency in this outsider that instead holds the whole effort together with an honest humanity reflected in his choices.
    — Brian Tallerico, Vulture, 14 July 2026
Definition of ruin
Verb
  • That decision eliminated the creative accounting that has destroyed countless songwriting partnerships.
    — Datwon Thomas, VIBE.com, 9 July 2026
  • The leaf-hopping insect destroyed more than 1,000 acres of grapevines in Northern California from 1994 to 2008, causing $30 million in damage, according to the California Department of Food and Agriculture.
    — Lizzie Kane July 9, Sacbee.com, 9 July 2026
Definition of destroy
Verb
  • Most of the peril comes with dangerous ship-wrecking moments, including one that implies the death of Moana's relative, while our heroine herself almost drowns on her first voyage from land.
    — Brian Truitt, USA Today, 9 July 2026
  • This is a great option for those who want an entry-level package that won’t wreck your bank account.
    — Katie Decker-Jacoby, StyleCaster, 9 July 2026
Definition of wreck
Verb
  • Of course, they’re devastated, and so is Clark, who is left with an ideal, a paragon of self-sacrifice, a superhero to remember and look up to, but not a friend.
    — Katy Waldman, New Yorker, 13 July 2026
  • This all comes after reports that Lively was devastated not to get an invite to Swift’s wedding.
    — Lizzie Lanuza, StyleCaster, 13 July 2026
Definition of devastate
Verb
  • Valiollah Hayati, deputy governor for security and law enforcement of Khuzestan Province, where Ahvaz is located, reported that a strike caused damage to nearby homes and shattered the windows of some housing units, according to IRIB.
    — Sophia Saifi, CNN Money, 16 July 2026
  • Reed struck an officer twice in the forearm with the broomstick, which shattered upon impact with the officer’s arm.
    — Caroline Zimmerman, Kansas City Star, 16 July 2026
Definition of shatter
Verb
  • West Harbor is the redevelopment of the former waterfront Ports O'Call Village, which was demolished in 2018.
    — Julie Sharp, CBS News, 14 July 2026
  • The two-acre space was the site of the California State Building, which suffered systemic damage in the 1971 Sylmar earthquake and was demolished five years later.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 13 July 2026
Definition of demolish
Verb
  • One tree not only uprooted a sidewalk but also smashed a parked car.
    — Madeleine Wright, CBS News, 13 July 2026
  • The settlers then began to jump on the vehicle behind CNN’s — carrying another group of journalists — and smashed the windshield of that vehicle.
    — Oren Liebermann, CNN Money, 11 July 2026
Definition of smash

Browse Nearby Words

wowsers
wrack
wracked
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Cite this Entry

“Wrack.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wrack. Accessed 16 Jul. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of wrack for Spanish Speakers

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