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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Recent Examples of wracking
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
Then came the nerve-wracking part — bringing it to Jackson himself.
—Ryan Brennan, Miami Herald, 26 Mar. 2026
The end of this semester at Morehouse College could be a nerve-wracking time for Aaron Fields.
—Jason Armesto, AJC.com, 21 Mar. 2026
The RedHawks ultimately held on for a nerve-wracking 110-108 overtime victory to improve to 31-0 and become the 21st team to finish the regular season undefeated.
—Brendan Marks, New York Times, 7 Mar. 2026
These sequences of process and investigation are captured with all the verve and nerve-wracking tension of a slick spy thriller, aided by a detailed, thundering soundscape sure to leave you on edge.
—Siddhant Adlakha, Variety, 23 Feb. 2026
In Southern California, Hollywood Burbank and Van Nuys Airports are well known to pilots for their high volume of mixed airplane and helicopter traffic, creating a complex and nerve-wracking operating environment.
—Marc Scribner, Oc Register, 8 Feb. 2026
The woman who recorded the nerve-wracking trip said, at times, both of the driver's hands were off the wheel.
—Todd Feurer, CBS News, 7 Feb. 2026
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
Then came the nerve-wracking part — bringing it to Jackson himself.
—Ryan Brennan, Miami Herald, 26 Mar. 2026
The end of this semester at Morehouse College could be a nerve-wracking time for Aaron Fields.
—Jason Armesto, AJC.com, 21 Mar. 2026
The RedHawks ultimately held on for a nerve-wracking 110-108 overtime victory to improve to 31-0 and become the 21st team to finish the regular season undefeated.
—Brendan Marks, New York Times, 7 Mar. 2026
These sequences of process and investigation are captured with all the verve and nerve-wracking tension of a slick spy thriller, aided by a detailed, thundering soundscape sure to leave you on edge.
—Siddhant Adlakha, Variety, 23 Feb. 2026
In Southern California, Hollywood Burbank and Van Nuys Airports are well known to pilots for their high volume of mixed airplane and helicopter traffic, creating a complex and nerve-wracking operating environment.
—Marc Scribner, Oc Register, 8 Feb. 2026
The woman who recorded the nerve-wracking trip said, at times, both of the driver's hands were off the wheel.
—Todd Feurer, CBS News, 7 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for wracking
Verb
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As Miles manages to lift up Lily and get her out of there, MPKs start hurling flash-bangs, destroying the Ed Baldwin shrine and shooting a couple of protesters in the process.—
Sophie Brookover,
Vulture,
24 Apr. 2026
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Ukrainian forces are systematically striking Russian oil refineries, pipelines, and storage facilities over 600 miles inside Russia, destroying tens of billions in infrastructure and disrupting Moscow’s war finances.—
Hanna Arhirova,
Los Angeles Times,
23 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Determining how the teen died took time, and after months of additional investigation, prosecutors announced charges against D4vd that allege her murder was a premeditated attempt to keep her from ruining his music career by exposing their underage relationship.—
Meredith Deliso,
ABC News,
23 Apr. 2026
-
Additionally, wet windows can accumulate condensation overnight, potentially ruining your hard work.—
Mary Cornetta,
Better Homes & Gardens,
18 Apr. 2026
Verb
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In a race for the ages, Sabastian Sawe of Kenya won the London Marathon in 1 hour, 59 minutes and 30 seconds on Sunday, shattering the previous men’s world record by an astonishing 65 seconds.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
26 Apr. 2026
-
The Kenyan runner won the London Marathon in 1 hour, 59 minutes and 30 seconds, shattering the previous men’s world record by 65 seconds.—
Ryan Gaydos,
FOXNews.com,
26 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The animal begins wrecking the fields and terrorizing the people.—
Perin Gürel,
The Conversation,
22 Apr. 2026
-
The tornado left a trail of damage in Hillsdale, Kansas, Monday night, wrecking an RV park, toppling power lines, leveling homes and destroying a storage facility near West 255th Street.—
Kendrick Calfee,
Kansas City Star,
16 Apr. 2026
Verb
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House Republicans approved the resolution last month despite conservationists’ warnings that the move would lead to devastating pollution in one of the country’s last remaining wild areas.—
Todd Richmond,
Twin Cities,
16 Apr. 2026
-
Two tornadoes ripped through west Michigan on April 14, devastating a family dairy farm in Fenick, releasing hundreds of cows and leaving thousands without power.—
Samantha Agate,
Miami Herald,
15 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Those sweaters have so much mojo, as shown by Allen just demolishing what looked to be a Corona.—
Matt Reigle OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
22 Apr. 2026
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And the city has further rules around demolishing older buildings, passed in late 2024.—
Chris Higgins,
Kansas City Star,
22 Apr. 2026
Verb
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But as anyone who’s dropped a mug knows, ceramics are also brittle and prone to smashing.—
Caitlin Kennedy,
Scientific American,
25 Apr. 2026
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Police officers arrived at her Hollywood Hills home in Los Angeles and learned that the attackers had left the woman inside after allegedly smashing her jaw and choking her.—
Francie Ebert,
NBC news,
25 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Finally, in overcoming this vexing moment, the two would establish a painterly repartee that altered the trajectory of their own work and, by extension, modern art.—
Susan Tallman,
The New York Review of Books,
25 Apr. 2026
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But overcoming perceptions that lithium-ion battery technology is inherently dangerous has proven challenging, and developers sometimes fuel mistrust by dismissing residents’ concerns about fire, toxic threats and the industrialization of natural landscapes.—
Bloomberg,
Oc Register,
23 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Wracking.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wracking. Accessed 30 Apr. 2026.
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