wrack

verb

Definition of wracknext
as in to ruin
to bring to a complete end the physical soundness, existence, or usefulness of it's amazing how a raging sea can wrack a seemingly sturdy beachfront home

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 wrack Almost overnight, the team has come to embody an alternative future for a country still wracked by nationalistic politics. — Arminka Helic, Time, 30 June 2026 As the casting process heats up to find a new 007, Famke Janssen, who starred opposite Pierce Brosnan in 1995’s GoldenEye, has recalled her nerve-wracking audition to land the part as Xenia Onatopp in the iconic James Bond franchise. — Chris Gardner, HollywoodReporter, 28 June 2026 The collection came about in a time of uncertainty and fear in the immigrant community, Galvan said, as federal immigration enforcement crackdowns wracked the region. — Joseph States, Chicago Tribune, 25 June 2026 Kim The call left Kim Grindell disgusted, furious and wracked with guilt. — Rich Schapiro, NBC news, 20 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for wrack
Recent Examples of Synonyms for wrack
  1. ruin
  2. destroy
  3. wreck
  4. devastate
  5. shatter
  6. demolish
  7. smash
Verb
  • Campione said her campaign was focused on protecting rural lands from being annexed into cities for rural subdivisions and stopping activities that could ruin water quality or override property rights.
    — James Wilkins, The Orlando Sentinel, 13 Aug. 2026
  • But the mellow vibes are ruined when a goofy case of mistaken identity results in Frankie coming home with a briefcase containing several vials of a glowing orange goo.
    — Angie Han, HollywoodReporter, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of ruin
Verb
  • Vendors said enforcement sweeps that began earlier this year have threatened their livelihoods, with authorities confiscating vending equipment and, in some cases, destroying it.
    — Da Lin, CBS News, 14 Aug. 2026
  • One of those, the USS Gerald R Ford, also reported problems earlier this year, from toilets that weren’t working to a laundry fire that briefly stopped combat operations and destroyed some sleeping quarters.
    — Mustafa Qadri, CNN Money, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of destroy
Verb
  • Stefano Cerio’s outdoor photography installation about the devastation wrecked by wildfires was nearly engulfed in a real wildfire on Saturday, reported Artribune.
    — Devorah Lauter, ARTnews.com, 11 Aug. 2026
  • Her fitful vocals capture the chaos of love, the maddening ability of a partner to absolutely wreck a mind or heal it.
    — Stephen Kearse, Pitchfork, 7 Aug. 2026
Definition of wreck
Verb
  • The floods also devastated livestock, with large numbers of cattle lost, dealing a blow to rural communities and raising concerns about disease outbreaks.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 10 Aug. 2026
  • The area where the quake struck, Colombia's coffee region, was devastated by an earthquake in 1999 that killed more than 1,200 people.
    — CBS News, CBS News, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of devastate
Verb
  • Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd said Ace protected the three deputies from Bowers but was shot in his left front leg, shattering the bone and tearing an artery that caused massive blood loss.
    — Michael Sinkewicz, FOXNews.com, 12 Aug. 2026
  • The state of the job market has shattered the confidence of American workers.
    — Emma Burleigh, Fortune, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of shatter
Verb
  • The only option to build the facility was to demolish the Trojans’ longtime baseball field and displace the program for multiple seasons.
    — Ryan Kartje, Los Angeles Times, 7 Aug. 2026
  • What else might be demolished in Crown Center for the ballpark district remains unclear.
    — Dylan Lysen, Kansas City Star, 7 Aug. 2026
Definition of demolish
Verb
  • Nick Loftin then doubled in the third before Caglianone hit his 21st homer of the season to right, smashing a hanging slider for a 410-foot shot that induced grumbles from the stands.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 11 Aug. 2026
  • The Public Defender's Office said Govindbhai, without double-checking the plate numbers, walked to the driver's side door and struck the window with his baton four times, smashing the glass.
    — Jose Fabian, CBS News, 11 Aug. 2026
Definition of smash

Browse Nearby Words

wowsers
wrack
wracked
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Wrack.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wrack. Accessed 17 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on wrack

Nglish: Translation of wrack for Spanish Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Do you 'say your piece' or 'say your peace'?

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

Is “GIF” Pronounced “Jiff” or “Giff”?

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
image of a green cube out of place in a lineup of red spheres
Odd Word Out: Synonyms Vol. 2 Quiz Figure out which word isn't like the others.
See All