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Definitions

havoc

[hav-uhk] / ˈhæv ək /
NOUN
chaotic situation
Synonyms
STRONGEST
calamity cataclysm catastrophe chaos confusion destruction devastation disruption mayhem
STRONG
damage desolation dilapidation disorder loss plunder ravages ruination shambles vandalism waste wreck wreckage
WEAK
despoiling rack and ruin
Antonyms
STRONGEST
blessing boon building calm construction creation good fortune good luck happiness harmony miracle order organization system wonder
WEAK
peace

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Cuts of cables to Taiwan in 2023 and 2025 were notably precise in hitting areas where they would wreak the most havoc, Hsu testified.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 9, 2026

A few tips can help you steer clear of so-called residential proxy networks, which have been used to wreak havoc online around the world.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 4, 2026

For Zhengyang Wang, who was part of a team of researchers who published a report on the ant trade in 2023 focusing on China, this is a worry and could "wreak havoc" with local ecosystems.

From BBC • Mar. 28, 2026

Its capacity to wreak havoc in the U.S. economy then, is limited, he says.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 24, 2026

Peeves was the school poltergeist, a grinning, airborne menace who lived to cause havoc and distress.

From "Harry Potter And The Chamber Of Secrets" by J. K. Rowling