What does "wreak" mean?
Revenge; vengeance; furious passion; resentment.
Wreak
/ɹik/ noun, verb
noun, verb ·Moderate ·College level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: Revenge; vengeance; furious passion; resentment.
- Grammar: wreak is listed as noun, verb.
- Nearest alternatives: accomplish, achieve, avenge, bring.
- Useful contrasts: absolve, avert, forgive.
- Usage evidence: A hurricane can wreak destruction everywhere it goes.
How to use "wreak"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "wreak" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "wreak" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "wreak" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "wreak" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "wreak" is acting as noun, verb in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "accomplish" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "wreak", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 Revenge; vengeance; furious passion; resentment. archaic, literary
"VVhat barbarous mindes for grieuance more than needs, Vnnaturallie ſeeks wreake vpon their Lord, Their true annointed Prince, their lawfull king:"
- 2 Punishment; retribution; payback. archaic, literary
"Of a surety none murdered the damsel but I; take her wreak on me this moment; for, an thou do not thus, I will require it of thee before Almighty Allah."
Verb
- 1 To cause harm; to afflict; to inflict; to harm or injure; to let out harm. transitive
"The earthquake wreaked havoc in the city."
- 2 cause to happen or to occur as a consequence wordnet
- 3 To chasten, or chastise/chastize, or castigate, or punish, or smite. archaic
"The police abused their authority to wreak an innocent."
- 4 To inflict or take vengeance on. archaic
"their woe / Broods maddening inwardly and scorns to wreak / Itself abroad;"
- 5 To take vengeance for. archaic
"Come wreak his loss, whom bootless ye complain."
Show 1 more definition
- 6 Misspelling of reek. alt-of, intransitive, misspelling
"She wreaked of liquor. She also wreaked of anger, despair and unsatisfied sexuality, all mixed together."
Synonyms
All synonymsExample
"A hurricane can wreak destruction everywhere it goes."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "wreak"?
Common synonyms include: accomplish, achieve, avenge, bring, bring, bring about.
How do you use "wreak" in a sentence?
A hurricane can wreak destruction everywhere it goes.
How do you pronounce "wreak"?
Pronounced /ɹik/.
Etymology
Etymology 1
From Middle English wreken, from Old English wrecan, from Proto-West Germanic *wrekan, from Proto-Germanic *wrekaną, from Proto-Indo-European *wreg- (“push, shove, drive, track down”). Cognate via Proto-Germanic with Dutch wreken, German rächen, Swedish vräka; cognate via PIE with Latin urgēre (English urge), and distantly cognate with English wreck.
Etymology 2
From Middle English wreke, wrake, Northern Middle English variants of wreche, influenced later by Etymology 1, above. Compare Dutch wraak.