havoc 1 of 2

noun

ˈha-vək How to pronounce havoc (audio)
Definition of havocnext
1
as in hell
a state in which everything is out of order computer network problems created havoc throughout the office

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2
as in devastation
the state or fact of being rendered nonexistent, physically unsound, or useless the powerful hurricane wreaked havoc all along the coast

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havoc

2 of 2

verb

as in to ravage

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of havoc
Noun
The Artist Known as Muse is here to wreak some bloody havoc. — Matt Webb Mitovich, TVLine, 21 Mar. 2025 The outbreak is forecasted across the central Gulf Coast, Deep South and the Tennessee Valley with some tornadoes spanning long and possibly causing havoc, according to the National Weather Service. — Anthony Robledo, USA TODAY, 14 Mar. 2025
Verb
Plankton: The Movie arrives exclusively on Netflix in 2025. 06 of 06 The SpongeBob Movie: Search for SquarePants (2025) Next year SpongeBob returns to theaters with his fourth film, The Search for SquarePants, as Plankton wrecks havoc on Netflix. — Rendy Jones, EW.com, 2 Aug. 2024 So asking other states for help before Maria, which might have lined up resources for Puerto Rico more quickly, would have been an expensive undertaking without knowing for sure what havoc the storm would wreak. — Patricia Mazzei and Omaya Sosa Pascual, miamiherald, 19 Oct. 2017 See All Example Sentences for havoc
Recent Examples of Synonyms for havoc
  1. hell
  2. ravage
  3. chaos
  4. destruction
  5. plunder
  6. mess
  7. loss
  8. loot
Noun
  • There is no hell quite like watching your friends have fun without you on a trio vacation.
    — Emma Specter, Vogue, 7 Apr. 2025
  • House of 1000 Corpses (2003) House of 1000 Corpses spent a long time in a kind of distribution hell, which meant that Rob Zombie’s debut flick didn’t come out until Goggins had already begun making a name on TV.
    — Daniel Dockery, Vulture, 6 Apr. 2025
Definition of hell
Verb
  • Myanmar, which has been facing tough times since the military coup in 2021—as well as being ravaged by a recent earthquake—faces 44 percent tariffs.
    — Mayu Saini, Sourcing Journal, 7 Apr. 2025
  • In already ravaged Tennessee, forecasters said Saturday could be the most dangerous day of this outbreak.
    — Jeanine Santucci, USA Today, 5 Apr. 2025
Definition of ravage
Noun
  • Some will argue this stance risks economic chaos.
    — Faisal Kutty, Newsweek, 11 Mar. 2025
  • The Wild West of Papal Conclaves In the sixteenth and seventeenth century, the death of a pope led to all sorts of chaos, from the destruction of art to armed violence in the streets.
    — JSTOR Daily, JSTOR Daily, 11 Mar. 2025
Definition of chaos
Noun
  • Newsweek has sought clarification from officials about the scale of the destruction inside the residence.
    — Thomas G. Moukawsher, MSNBC Newsweek, 14 Apr. 2025
  • Creative destruction is healthy.
    — David Petitti, Chicago Tribune, 14 Apr. 2025
Definition of destruction
Verb
  • For decades, the terrorist group has plundered Gaza and sacrificed its people in pursuit of an unending messianic war to eliminate the Jewish state.
    — Yair Rosenberg, The Atlantic, 18 Mar. 2025
  • From [nautical] mile 200, the Argentine Navy [ …] under the coordination of the Joint Maritime Command, stands firm, patrolling and watching and ensuring that no foreign ship crosses our exclusive economic zone to plunder what belongs to Argentines.
    — Matt Robison, Newsweek, 25 Feb. 2025
Definition of plunder
Noun
  • The mascara dries quickly, and there’s no mess or smudging.
    — Jacquelyn Smith, Parents, 3 Apr. 2025
  • The trending mini cleaning machine targets messes before stains set in, which is especially great for carpet cleaning—and way more than the average vacuum can do.
    — Nashia Baker, Architectural Digest, 2 Apr. 2025
Definition of mess
Noun
  • The fresh loss of the trees would make that more difficult.
    — Tribune News Service, San Diego Union-Tribune, 15 Mar. 2025
  • For some, their losses hurt deeply, especially so soon after disaster.
    — Tribune News Service, San Diego Union-Tribune, 15 Mar. 2025
Definition of loss
Verb
  • Last year, the Manhattan district attorney’s office said that the museum needed to hand over a drawing that had been looted by the Nazis during World War II.
    — Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 18 Mar. 2025
  • Their path was often straight down Broad Street and through the Arts District, and while most protesters peacefully marched, some broke windows, started fires, looted and covered area businesses in spray paint.
    — Karri Peifer, Axios, 17 Mar. 2025
Definition of loot

Browse Nearby Words

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havoc
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Cite this Entry

“Havoc.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/havoc. Accessed 17 Apr. 2025.

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