as in inflicting
to cause to suffer punishment or vengeance for
wreaked their vengeance on those they considered enemies
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Recent Examples of wreaking
Playing as one of the two behind Dominic Calvert-Lewin in the 3-4-2-1 Farke has settled on, Stach’s got the defensive steel to bulk up the engine room out of possession, but the guile and stamina to roam forward, wreaking chaos in attack.
—
Beren Cross, New York Times, 23 Feb. 2026
Back in Peshawar, a stone’s throw from the hospital wing, some of the weapons wreaking new havoc along Pakistan’s mineral belt were laid out for CNN to see.
—Sophia Saifi, CNN Money, 3 Feb. 2026
This alliance, Hotez says, is wreaking immeasurable damage to Americans’ trust in science and healthcare.
—Will Carless, USA Today, 20 Jan. 2026
While people’s claims history, inflation, higher labor and construction costs play into increases nationwide, Coloradans face the additional burden of living in a state where the risk is high of catastrophes wreaking billions of dollars in damage.
—Judith Kohler, Denver Post, 7 Nov. 2025
Almost serpentine in her shimmering elegance, Thompson’s Hedda glides from room to room wreaking social havoc with her guests, an old lover, and even her husband that will, ultimately, have tragic consequences for all.
—Literary Hub, 10 Oct. 2025
Across the industry, however, the coronavirus outbreak is wreaking economic havoc.
—IEEE Spectrum, 14 Apr. 2020
Beren Cross, New York Times, 23 Feb. 2026
Back in Peshawar, a stone’s throw from the hospital wing, some of the weapons wreaking new havoc along Pakistan’s mineral belt were laid out for CNN to see.
—Sophia Saifi, CNN Money, 3 Feb. 2026
This alliance, Hotez says, is wreaking immeasurable damage to Americans’ trust in science and healthcare.
—Will Carless, USA Today, 20 Jan. 2026
While people’s claims history, inflation, higher labor and construction costs play into increases nationwide, Coloradans face the additional burden of living in a state where the risk is high of catastrophes wreaking billions of dollars in damage.
—Judith Kohler, Denver Post, 7 Nov. 2025
Almost serpentine in her shimmering elegance, Thompson’s Hedda glides from room to room wreaking social havoc with her guests, an old lover, and even her husband that will, ultimately, have tragic consequences for all.
—Literary Hub, 10 Oct. 2025
Across the industry, however, the coronavirus outbreak is wreaking economic havoc.
—IEEE Spectrum, 14 Apr. 2020
Recent Examples of Synonyms for wreaking
Verb
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Trump, who once demanded a Nobel Peace Prize, started a war of choice in Iran, inflicting damage that a deal can’t undo.—
Amy Davidson Sorkin,
New Yorker,
18 Apr. 2026
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Ashley Nicole Taris, 24, a former KinderCare employee, is charged with felony child abuse inflicting serious bodily injury, according to a warrant reviewed by PEOPLE.—
Christina Coulter,
PEOPLE,
13 Apr. 2026
Verb
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And year after year, the debt trajectory worsens, imposing a growing burden on the vibrancy of the private sector.—
Veronique De Rugy,
Oc Register,
13 Apr. 2026
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Among the arrested are two employees of Haiti’s Institute for the Preservation of National Heritage, which oversees La Citadelle, an imposing fortress in the northern town of Milot built in the early 1800s where Saturday’s stampede occurred.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
13 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Some hedge funds and financial services firms are buying businesses' tariff refund claims, putting money in importers' pockets immediately, while taking on the administrative burden of applying for a refund, according to Flexport's Manders.—
Megan Cerullo,
CBS News,
16 Apr. 2026
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When the Hornets needed a 3 late in the game, Hornets coach Charles Lee chose against putting Knueppel in the game.—
Doug Haller,
New York Times,
15 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Wreaking.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wreaking. Accessed 19 Apr. 2026.
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