havoc
1 of 2noun
hav·oc ˈha-vək 
-vik
1
: wide and general destruction : devastation
A tornado wreaked havoc on the town two years ago.
2
: great confusion and disorder
the blackout caused havoc in the city
havoc
2 of 2verb
havocked; havocking
transitive verb
: to lay waste : destroy
Synonyms
Noun
- chance-medley
- chaos
- confusion
- disarrangement
- disarray
- dishevelment
- disorder
- disorderedness
- disorderliness
- disorganization
- free-for-all
- heck
- hell
- jumble
- mare's nest
- mess
- messiness
- misorder
- muddle
- muss
- shambles
- snake pit
- tumble
- welter
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
Noun The disease can play havoc with the body's immune system. Several small children can create havoc in a house.
Recent Examples on the Web
Ella Lee, USA TODAY, 10 Sep. 2022 The combination of record heat and extraordinarily dry conditions wreaked havoc across the continent. Sarah Kaplan, Washington Post, 8 Sep. 2022 The war in Ukraine and high inflation have wreaked havoc on the global economy in 2022. Bryan Hood, Robb Report, 7 Sep. 2022 The swelling waters of the Indus, a major river in this part of the world, have wreaked havoc as heavy rains and massive flooding unleashed devastation across much of Pakistan. Munir Ahmed, BostonGlobe.com, 6 Sep. 2022 The swelling waters of the Indus, a major river in this part of the world, have wreaked havoc as heavy rains and massive flooding unleashed devastation across much of Pakistan. Munir Ahmed, ajc, 6 Sep. 2022 But the past month has wreaked havoc on that position. Dan Gallagher, WSJ, 6 Sep. 2022 The problems with the city's water supplies persist more than a year after the city faced another water emergency when back-to-back winter storms wreaked havoc on the city's water system. Julia Jacobo, ABC News, 6 Sep. 2022 But—as with many things—supply chain issues brought on by the pandemic wreaked havoc on those plans. Alexis Bennett, Vogue, 6 Sep. 2022 See More
Noun
Flash floods triggered by record monsoon rains have wreaked havoc across Pakistan this summer, engulfing one-third of the nation and affecting some 33 million people. Ella Lee, USA TODAY, 10 Sep. 2022 The combination of record heat and extraordinarily dry conditions wreaked havoc across the continent. Sarah Kaplan, Washington Post, 8 Sep. 2022 The war in Ukraine and high inflation have wreaked havoc on the global economy in 2022. Bryan Hood, Robb Report, 7 Sep. 2022 The swelling waters of the Indus, a major river in this part of the world, have wreaked havoc as heavy rains and massive flooding unleashed devastation across much of Pakistan. Munir Ahmed, BostonGlobe.com, 6 Sep. 2022 The swelling waters of the Indus, a major river in this part of the world, have wreaked havoc as heavy rains and massive flooding unleashed devastation across much of Pakistan. Munir Ahmed, ajc, 6 Sep. 2022 But the past month has wreaked havoc on that position. Dan Gallagher, WSJ, 6 Sep. 2022 The problems with the city's water supplies persist more than a year after the city faced another water emergency when back-to-back winter storms wreaked havoc on the city's water system. Julia Jacobo, ABC News, 6 Sep. 2022 But—as with many things—supply chain issues brought on by the pandemic wreaked havoc on those plans. Alexis Bennett, Vogue, 6 Sep. 2022 See More Word History
Etymology
Noun
Middle English havok, from Anglo-French, modification of Old French havot plunder
Verb
derivative of havoc entry 1
First Known Use
Noun
15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Verb
1575, in the meaning defined above
Phrases Containing havoc
Kids Definition
havoc
noun
hav·oc ˈha-vək
1
: wide destruction
The storm wreaked havoc.
2
: great confusion and lack of order My young nephews caused havoc.
havocs
verb
as in ravages
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- ravages
- despoils
- pillages
- plunders
- loots
- exterminates
- massacres
- sacks
- murders
- slaughters
- kills
- cuts down
- expunges
- kills off
- eradicates
- extirpates
- damages
- obliterates
- wipes out
- dispatches
- tramples
- zaps
- trashes
- blots out
- vandalizes
- takes out
- slays
- unmakes
- assassinates
- harms
- unbuilds
- removes
- effaces
- dilapidates
- guts
- butchers
- takes down
- fells
- liquidates
- wrecks
- executes
- cripples
- blasts
- spoils
- mows (down)
- mutilates
- mars
- wracks
- defeats
- injures
- ruins
- dynamites
- desolates
- disfigures
- washes out
- masters
- overbears
- destroys
- undoes
- stamps (out)
- erodes
- blows up
- routs
- snuffs (out)
- dismantles
- wastes
- impairs
- disassembles
- roots (out)
- disintegrates
- deteriorates
- bests
- nukes
- vitiates
- wallops
- overmatches
- sweeps (away)
- mangles
- defaces
- annihilates
- razes
- scours
- conquers
- crushes
- tears down
- subdues
- thrashes
- totals
- skunks
- devastates
- licks
- whips
- pulverizes
- vaporizes
- dissolves
- decimates
- pulls down
- drubs
- smashes
- clobbers
- overcomes
- creams
- scotches
- trims
- shatters
- beats
- breaks
- extinguishes
- surmounts
- wears (away)
- wins (against)
- demolishes
- rubs out
- prevails (over)
- triumphs (over)
- does in
- trounces
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- builds
- repairs
- constructs
- rears
- doctors
- fixes
- creates
- raises
- erects
- forms
- manufactures
- mends
- fathers
- produces
- shapes
- makes
- brings about
- institutes
- frames
- sets up
- patches
- molds
- protects
- saves
- fashions
- invents
- constitutes
- reconditions
- organizes
- assembles
- forges
- revamps
- fabricates
- puts up
- rebuilds
- founds
- preserves
- establishes
- conserves
- restores
- reconstructs
- renovates
- remodels
- antiphonal
- antiphonal organ
- antiphonally
- antiphonals
- antiphonaries
- antiphonary
- antiphone
- antiphoners
- antiphonetic
- antiphonic
- antiphonically
- antiphonies
- antiphons
- antiphony
- antiphrases
- antiphrasis
- antipills
- antipiracies
- antipiracy
- antiplague
- antiplagues
- antiplaque
- antiplatelet
- antipleasures
- antiplumming