play havoc

Idioms  

1. Also,. Disrupt, damage, or destroy something, as in The wind played havoc with her hair, or The fire alarm raised havoc with the children, or The earthquake wrought havoc in the town. The noun havoc was once used as a command for invaders to begin looting and killing, but by the 1800s the term was being used for somewhat less aggressive activities. For a synonym, see play the devil with.

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Example Sentences

Orbital changes of satellites also increase the risk of collision and space weather can also play havoc with sensitive electronics on board, causing malfunctions.

From BBC

To begin, while official data is back online following the end of the government shutdown, release delays, calendar quirks, and holiday anomalies continue to play havoc.

From Barron's

Besides the toll the system takes on veterans, vacancies in apartment units reserved for veterans play havoc with the bottom lines of subsidized buildings that were financed on the basis of guaranteed revenue from vouchers.

From Los Angeles Times

Alvarez plays Evan Marquez, the eponymous English teacher, who is dedicated to his job but has a tendency to overthink himself into a frenzy; this can play havoc with his personal life, but it also fuels his righteous idealism.

From Los Angeles Times

While a weak yen can be a boon to Japanese companies that earn much of their revenues overseas, significant shifts in the foreign exchange market can play havoc with corporate planning and a sharply weaker yen also boosts costs for imports of oil and other vital commodities.

From Seattle Times