wrack

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 Low bodyweight: For women in competitive sports, wracking up enough calories to balance out rigorous training can be tough, Dr. Templeton says. Alisa Hrustic, SELF, 24 June 2025 The ban also comes at especially difficult time for Haitians in a country wracked by gang violence. Nora Gámez Torres, Miami Herald, 12 June 2025 Raised in poverty, slugged by an anti-Spanish language teacher, jumped by Anglo bullies, wracked by childhood illnesses, Jesse held dear to his mother’s encouragement to pray often, work hard, and stay positive. Richard J. Gonzales, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 5 July 2025 The early solar system was wracked with profound instabilities, but more recently such effects have been far more subtle. Phil Plait, Scientific American, 26 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for wrack
Recent Examples of Synonyms for wrack
Verb
  • However, for some, gambling is an addiction that can ruin lives and families.
    Miami Herald, Miami Herald, 1 Aug. 2025
  • Freezing her eggs was a priority because chemotherapy could ruin her chances of fertility and natural birth.
    David Oliver, USA Today, 31 July 2025
Verb
  • In return, he was allowed to effectively destroy a nature site of great conservation value.
    Kim Hjelmgaard, USA Today, 26 July 2025
  • When the Silver Surfer arrives in New York to destroy the final teleportation tower, Johnny plays those traumatic recordings over speakers in Earth-828's version of Times Square, hoping to appeal to her empathy.
    EW.com, EW.com, 25 July 2025
Verb
  • Some drugs, particularly antibiotics, can wreck the gut microbiome fast.
    Avery Hurt, Discover Magazine, 30 July 2025
  • The New York Post reported that teams were reaching out to the Mets about Blackburn in June, before a spate of injuries temporarily wrecked New York’s starting depth.
    Tim Britton, New York Times, 30 July 2025
Verb
  • Today, disaster seekers pack tours through New Orleans neighborhoods devastated by Hurricane Katrina two decades ago, and visitors continue to flock to Galveston to see the legacy of a hurricane that killed thousands more than a century earlier.
    Lila Hempel-Edgers July 22, Charlotte Observer, 22 July 2025
  • Not only has its air defense infrastructure suffered badly in the confrontations with Israel, but its regional proxies and allies – Hamas, Hezbollah and the Assad regime in Syria – have either been devastated by Israel or collapsed altogether.
    Linggong Kong, The Conversation, 22 July 2025
Verb
  • Keenan’s only injuries were from the car’s shattered glass, but Denaro was shot five times and needed a metal plate to replace a part of his skull, which was shattered by the bullets.
    Lynsey Eidell, People.com, 2 Aug. 2025
  • That sense of serenity was shattered Monday when a man stormed the Midtown building with an assault rifle and unleashed a hailstorm of bullets, killing three people in the lobby.
    Holly Yan, CNN Money, 1 Aug. 2025
Verb
  • The kids division, ages 5 to 11, was tasked with demolishing a singular slice, or one-fourth, of an entire pie.
    Olivia Cyrus July 23, Sacbee.com, 24 July 2025
  • That includes plans to demolish the building this summer.
    Tom Daykin, jsonline.com, 23 July 2025
Verb
  • Abraham Toro led off the fifth with a single against Twins starter Simeon Woods Richardson, Anthony drew a walk and Alex Bregman smashed a three-run homer to put the Red Sox ahead 3-2.
    Mac Cerullo, Boston Herald, 29 July 2025
  • Chloe Kelly stood up once again for the winning moment, smashing her kick past the Spanish goalkeeper and securing England’s second European crown.
    Callum Sutherland, Time, 28 July 2025

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Wrack.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wrack. Accessed 6 Aug. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on wrack

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!