wreak havoc

idiom

: to cause great damage
A powerful tornado wreaked havoc on the small village.
The virus wreaked havoc on my computer.

Examples of wreak havoc in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web In addition to possibly bringing the northern lights to Ohio, the severe geomagnetic storm caused by solar eruptions that is predicted for this weekend might wreak havoc on cellphones, the power grid and GPS navigation, according to the Space Weather Prediction Center. Chad Murphy, The Enquirer, 10 May 2024 Using too much detergent can also wreak havoc on your towels. Hedy Phillips, Peoplemag, 9 May 2024 Previous deficit In 2020, in just his second year in office, with the coronavirus pandemic in full swing wreaking havoc on the economy, California faced a $54 billion shortfall. Vik Jolly, Sacramento Bee, 8 May 2024 What starts off as Donny offering her a cup of tea out of sympathy turns into a twisted and complex relationship where Martha wreaks havoc on Donny’s relationships. Selena Kuznikov, Variety, 8 May 2024 She’s watched in real time as the same changes have wreaked havoc on the local wildlife — including an increase in rodent poison that’s killing birds of prey, and an uptick in trash that’s attracted more ravens, which feed on the young of desert tortoises. Alex Wigglesworth, Los Angeles Times, 6 May 2024 Being mindful of your cognitive patterns and practicing changing your narratives can help keep online dating from wreaking havoc on your psyche. Danielle Sukenik, Discover Magazine, 3 May 2024 Today, homelessness and addiction combined cost the U.S. health care system north of $20 billion a year, wreaking havoc on millions of Americans. Leslie Walker, NPR, 3 May 2024 Players can be aggressive and skillful while wreaking havoc on competitors, but those who prefer to search for treasure may uncover the Mega Unit power-up. Gieson Cacho, The Mercury News, 25 Apr. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'wreak havoc.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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Cite this Entry

“Wreak havoc.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/wreak%20havoc. Accessed 18 May. 2024.

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