as in to inflict
to cause to suffer punishment or vengeance for
wreaked their vengeance on those they considered enemies
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Recent Examples of wreak
Don’t let smoke, dust or pet dander wreak havoc in your home with this smart air purifier.
—
Bestreviews,
Mercury News,
25 June 2026
Once during tax time to prepare for open-toe season, and again when fall begins to recover from the damage open-toe season has wreaked.
—
Lauren Silbert,
PEOPLE,
24 June 2026
And Caglianone wasn’t done wreaking havoc at the plate.
—
Kansas City Star,
24 June 2026
Trapped between the barnacles can be several invasive species that wreak havoc on marine environments.
—
David Goldman,
CNN Money,
23 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for wreak
Bestreviews,
Mercury News,
25 June 2026
Once during tax time to prepare for open-toe season, and again when fall begins to recover from the damage open-toe season has wreaked.
—
Lauren Silbert,
PEOPLE,
24 June 2026
And Caglianone wasn’t done wreaking havoc at the plate.
—
Kansas City Star,
24 June 2026
Trapped between the barnacles can be several invasive species that wreak havoc on marine environments.
—
David Goldman,
CNN Money,
23 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for wreak
Recent Examples of Synonyms for wreak
Verb
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These weapons of war are designed to inflict the maximum amount of carnage and destruction and have no place in our communities.
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However, experts caution the situation isn’t so simple, and while Ukraine has inflicted tangible damage, Russian resilience and logistical limitations mean the campaign has yet to pass into decisive territory.
Verb
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Both countries impose severe penalties on LGBTQ people.
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Starting on July 1, the California Department of Parks and Recreation can now impose new penalties on folks who fail to cancel their campsite reservations in a timely manner or fail to show for their reservation.
Cite this Entry
“Wreak.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wreak. Accessed 2 Jul. 2026.
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