havoc

[hav-uhk]

noun

1. great destruction or devastation; ruinous damage.

   Synonyms: waste, ruin, desolation

verb (used with object)

havocked, havocking 

1. to work havoc upon; devastate.

verb (used without object)

havocked, havocking 

1. to work havoc.

   The fire havocked throughout the house.

havoc

/ ˈhævək /

noun

1. destruction; devastation; ruin

2. informal,  confusion; chaos

3. archaic,  to give the signal for pillage and destruction

4. (often foll by with) to cause a great deal of damage, distress, or confusion (to)

verb

1. archaic,  (tr) to lay waste

Other Word Forms

• havocker noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of havoc¹

First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English havok, from Anglo-French (in phrase crier havok “to cry havoc,” i.e., “utter the command havoc! ” as signal for pillaging), Middle French havot in same sense, from Germanic

Word History and Origins

Origin of havoc¹

C15: from Old French havot pillage, probably of Germanic origin

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. cry havoc, to warn of danger or disaster.

2. play havoc with,

   1. to create confusion or disorder in.

      The wind played havoc with the papers on the desk.

   2. to destroy; ruin.

      The bad weather played havoc with our vacation plans.

3. wreak havoc. wreak havoc.

see cry havoc; play havoc.

Synonym Study

See ruin.

Example Sentences

Hormonal changes can wreak havoc in the years leading up to that point.

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A rapid unwinding of that carry trade, however, can cause havoc in global markets.

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Having abandoned the Majestic Theatre, he’s now wreaking havoc on several floors of a nondescript building on West 57th Street, in a new immersive adaptation of the musical dubbed “Masquerade.”

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Participants say the air is thinner and the plunge downhill wreaks havoc on your body.

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In the U.S., foreign mussels are wreaking havoc in the Great Lakes, invasive fungi are threatening trees in Hawaii and non-native carp are invading rivers and lakes.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• calamity 
• cataclysm 
• catastrophe 
• chaos 
• confusion 
• destruction 
• devastation 
• disruption 
• mayhem 

When To Use

What does havoc mean?

Havoc means chaos, disorder, or confusion. It can also mean destruction, damage, or ruin. In many cases, it refers to a combination of these things.The phrase wreak havoc means to cause chaos or destruction or both. The phrases play havoc and raise havoc mean the same thing.Havoc is associated with seriously destructive and chaotic situations, such as natural disasters, as in The hurricane caused havoc throughout the region. But it can be used in a range of situations. An illness can wreakhavoc on your body. A virus can cause havoc in a computer network. The wind can wreak havoc on your hair. In most cases, havoc causes a situation that was (at least somewhat) orderly to become disorderly, especially when there is damage or destruction involved.The phrase cry havoc means to raise an alarm or give a warning.Havoc can be used as a verb meaning to cause havoc or destroy, but this is rare.Example: A major accident on the highway has wreaked havoc on the morning commute, causing traffic jams and delays for miles around.