wracking

present participle of wrack
as in destroying
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

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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 wracking Last Sunday was a particularly nerve-wracking day for all of us. Brian Hiatt, Rolling Stone, 23 Aug. 2026 Matthew undergoes periodic brain scans, which are a nerve-wracking time for his parents. Angie Leventis Lourgos, Chicago Tribune, 22 Aug. 2026 Despite a nerve-wracking 1-0 start (before Bellingham knocked in a deuce), Jagger was seen looking grim and pacing around the VIP box. Madeleine Marr, Miami Herald, 14 July 2026 As the casting process heats up to find a new 007, Famke Janssen, who starred opposite Pierce Brosnan in 1995’s GoldenEye, has recalled her nerve-wracking audition to land the part as Xenia Onatopp in the iconic James Bond franchise. Chris Gardner, HollywoodReporter, 28 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 Bring Her Back unravels its disturbing secrets with nerve-wracking dread, relying more on ominous atmosphere than cheap jump scares. Wesley Stenzel, Entertainment Weekly, 5 June 2026 But the job insecurity that’s wracking the wider workplace can effectively kill that sense of discovery. Claire Zillman, Fortune, 23 Apr. 2026 Rory McIlroy’s second consecutive Masters victory was a nerve-wracking affair — and now there’s data to prove it. Ryan Brennan april 14, Kansas City Star, 14 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for wracking
Verb
  • Pumping at high speeds creates a suction vortex (upconing) that violently draws heavy sludge into the production stream, fouling piping and destroying surface pumps.
    Siddharth Misra, Fortune, 25 Aug. 2026
  • The tornado wreaked havoc in the village of 1,000 inhabitants, reducing homes to rubble and destroying numerous cars.
    ABC News, ABC News, 25 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • For a full breakdown of how to clean your bedding without ruining it, refer to AD's guide on how to wash a comforter.
    Yelena Moroz Alpert, Architectural Digest, 24 Aug. 2026
  • This allegedly caused the cancellation of school recesses, and also ruining weddings and funerals.
    Finnegan Belleau, Chicago Tribune, 19 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • Meanwhile, epidemiologist Susan Mayne said the government has responded slowly to the record-shattering outbreak that started in May, which demonstrates how the nation's federal food safety programs are in disarray.
    Yuki Noguchi, NPR, 20 Aug. 2026
  • Majdi described his son’s birth in near-metaphysical terms, his own grief as shattering.
    Darrell Smith, Sacbee.com, 20 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • Come for the timeliness, stay for Cap wrecking a bunch of guys in an elevator.
    Brian Truitt, USA Today, 2 Aug. 2026
  • Long-distance backpacking is having a moment, and readers planning a first thru-hike want to know how to prepare without wrecking their body, their gear budget or their trip.
    Hanna Wickes, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 13 July 2026
Verb
  • The ceremony concluded a nearly 20-year struggle that profoundly shaped the latter decades of Caper’s life—a trial marked by devastating grief, institutional rejection, deteriorating health, and extraordinary perseverance.
    Ethan Rocke, Charlotte Observer, 20 Aug. 2026
  • Major hurricanes can cause wind damage ranging from devastating to catastrophic and significant loss of life from their winds alone.
    Karina Zaiets, USA Today, 14 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • As community members organized marches and protests, Abdeen helped bring a class-action lawsuit against the city, arguing that demolishing the neighborhood would violate residents’ civil rights.
    Rozina Ali, New Yorker, 21 Aug. 2026
  • Trump has faced widespread criticism for demolishing the East Wing of the White House to make room for the grand ballroom design.
    Callum Sutherland, Time, 11 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • Other robots were not so successful, with some tripping, falling and smashing into pieces during competitions or even catching fire.
    CBS News, CBS News, 23 Aug. 2026
  • This summer has seen record-smashing heatwaves across Europe, huge wildfires from Spain and France to Canada, which have released deadly pollutants into the air, and yet more extreme heat from Africa to Asia.
    Catarina Rolfsdotter-Jansson, Forbes.com, 22 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • The discovery opens up new possibilities for heat management in next-generation quantum devices, overcoming bottlenecks faced earlier.
    Ameya Paleja, Interesting Engineering, 24 Aug. 2026
  • Wachter said some young buyers are overcoming high housing costs by looking at older homes and fixer-uppers, putting their own time and labor into improvements or even renting out part of the property to help cover costs.
    Tatiana Sataua, Fortune, 20 Aug. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Wracking.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wracking. Accessed 28 Aug. 2026.

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