wreak havoc

[reek hav-uhk]

idiom

1. to cause considerable confusion, disorder, or damage.

   Solar flares can wreak havoc with satellites and other expensive electronics on the ground.

Word History and Origins

Origin of wreak havoc¹

First recorded in 1925–30

Idioms and Phrases

see play havoc.

Example Sentences

We meet her when she lands in Quito, Ecuador, to wreak havoc in Gonzalo Cordova’s stop-motion animated show, “Women Wearing Shoulder Pads,” Adult Swim’s first-ever Spanish-language program, which premiered Sunday.

From Los Angeles Times

Unite Here Local 11, the politically powerful union that represents hotel and restaurant workers, is looking to put four ballot proposals before voters that, according to critics, would wreak havoc on the city’s economy.

From Los Angeles Times

County Supervisor Kathryn Barger expressed concern about “bad players” exploiting the anonymity of ICE agents to wreak havoc.

From Los Angeles Times

“All that is certain is that Defendants’ aim is to instill maximum fear in ... communities and wreak havoc on the economy of one of the most diverse and vibrant areas in the country.”

From Los Angeles Times

The US going into recession, further spikes in the oil price, cyber attacks on this country from adversaries like Iran and Russia - there are all sorts of pressures outside the government's control that could wreak havoc with the economy.

From BBC

When To Use

What does wreak havoc mean?

To wreak havoc is to cause chaos or destruction or both.Wreak means to inflict or cause. Havoc means chaos, disorder, or confusion. It can also mean destruction, damage, or ruin. In many cases, it refers to a combination of these things.The phrases play havoc and raise havoc mean the same thing as wreak havoc. The past tense of wreak havoc is wreaked havoc. Sometimes, the word wrought is used as a past tense of wreak. This isn’t considered standard usage, but the phrase wrought havoc still makes sense.Havoc is associated with seriously destructive and chaotic situations, such as natural disasters, as in The hurricane wreaked havoc throughout the region. But it can be used in a range of situations. An illness can wreak havoc on your body. A virus can wreak havoc in a computer network. The wind can wreak havoc on your hair. In most cases, to wreak havoc is to disrupt a situation that was (at least somewhat) orderly by making it become disorderly, especially when there is damage or destruction involved.Example: A major accident on the highway has wreaked havoc on the morning commute, causing traffic jams and delays for miles around.