as in inflicted
to cause to suffer punishment or vengeance for
wreaked their vengeance on those they considered enemies
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Recent Examples of wreaked
As the complaining businesses are no doubt wringing their hands over the setback, shoppers are also bemoaning the havoc that tariffs have wreaked on their pocketbooks as the final week of holiday shopping ramps up.
—
Kate Nishimura, Sourcing Journal, 16 Dec. 2025
Most of the book is a provocative and fast-paced chronicle of the damage that liberalism has supposedly wreaked on countries’ economic, social, political, and psychological foundations.
—Foreign Affairs, 16 Dec. 2025
In 2024, the world breached that boundary and, as predicted by science, recorded unprecedented weather extremes across the planet that wreaked deadly and expensive havoc on human infrastructure, agriculture and ways of life.
—Joan Meiners, AZCentral.com, 1 Dec. 2025
History is littered with examples of the havoc wreaked by politicians’ will to power.
—Inkoo Kang, New Yorker, 11 Nov. 2025
The 1935 storm wreaked massive devastation and wiped out the Florida Keys.
—Andrea Thompson, Scientific American, 28 Oct. 2025
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 — so this weekend would be a perfect time!
—Lauren Silbert, PEOPLE, 8 Oct. 2025
Two years later, a Chicago judge convicted Smollett on felony disorderly conduct and false police reports charges, and the court of public opinion wreaked additional havoc on his reputation.
—Alyssa Davis, People.com, 24 Aug. 2025
Wildfires caused by arsonists or thunderstorms and fanned by a heatwave and strong winds wreaked destruction across southern Europe on Wednesday, burning homes and forcing thousands of residents and tourists to flee.
—USA Today, 14 Aug. 2025
Kate Nishimura, Sourcing Journal, 16 Dec. 2025
Most of the book is a provocative and fast-paced chronicle of the damage that liberalism has supposedly wreaked on countries’ economic, social, political, and psychological foundations.
—Foreign Affairs, 16 Dec. 2025
In 2024, the world breached that boundary and, as predicted by science, recorded unprecedented weather extremes across the planet that wreaked deadly and expensive havoc on human infrastructure, agriculture and ways of life.
—Joan Meiners, AZCentral.com, 1 Dec. 2025
History is littered with examples of the havoc wreaked by politicians’ will to power.
—Inkoo Kang, New Yorker, 11 Nov. 2025
The 1935 storm wreaked massive devastation and wiped out the Florida Keys.
—Andrea Thompson, Scientific American, 28 Oct. 2025
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 — so this weekend would be a perfect time!
—Lauren Silbert, PEOPLE, 8 Oct. 2025
Two years later, a Chicago judge convicted Smollett on felony disorderly conduct and false police reports charges, and the court of public opinion wreaked additional havoc on his reputation.
—Alyssa Davis, People.com, 24 Aug. 2025
Wildfires caused by arsonists or thunderstorms and fanned by a heatwave and strong winds wreaked destruction across southern Europe on Wednesday, burning homes and forcing thousands of residents and tourists to flee.
—USA Today, 14 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for wreaked
Verb
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The attacks also inflicted significant damage to civilian areas.—
Eric Cortellessa,
Time,
5 Mar. 2026
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Since 2024, a number of lawsuits have alleged that extensive use of the technology has inflicted a range of harms on children and adults alike, fostering delusions and despair for some and leading others to death by suicide and even murder-suicide.—
Bloomberg,
Mercury News,
4 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Because the airwaves were public property licensed to private stations, the government imposed conditions to ensure no single political voice monopolized them.—
Jay Caruso,
The Washington Examiner,
27 Feb. 2026
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Rounding to the nearest nickel would not alter the sales price, the amount of tax collected, or any surcharges, assessments or fees imposed on the sale, according to the bill analysis by legislative staffers.—
News Service Of Florida,
The Orlando Sentinel,
27 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Wreaked.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wreaked. Accessed 6 Mar. 2026.
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