wreak havoc
Bring utter destruction
To wreak havoc is to cause widespread destruction or chaos.
Storms wreak havoc on coastal towns; scandals wreak havoc on political careers.
The phrase is nearly fixed—havoc almost exclusively appears with wreak: The virus wreaked havoc on global supply chains.
Wrought havoc, using an archaic past tense, appears occasionally but sounds dated.
- devastationSevere widespread destruction
- ravageCause severe destruction
- run amokBehave violently without restraint
- raise CainCreate wild commotion
- unleashTo release from restraint
destruction · shatter · obliterate · lay waste · rampage · all hell breaks loose · carnage · chaos · mayhem · annihilate · pandemonium · ruin · demolish · desolate · upheaval · damage · pillage · catastrophe