wrought

American  

[rawt] / rɔt /

verb

1. Archaic except in some senses. a simple past tense and past participle of work.

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adjective

1. worked.

2. elaborated; embellished.

3. not rough or crude.

4. produced or shaped by beating with a hammer, as iron or silver articles.

wrought British  

/ rɔːt /

verb

1. archaic a past tense and past participle of work

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adjective

1. metallurgy shaped by hammering or beating

2. (often in combination) formed, fashioned, or worked as specified

   well-wrought

3. decorated or made with delicate care

Usage

Wrought is sometimes used as if it were the past tense and past participle of wreak as in the hurricane wrought havoc in coastal areas. Many people think this use is incorrect

Related Words

See worked.

Other Word Forms

• interwrought adjective
• self-wrought adjective
• superwrought adjective
• underwrought adjective
• unwrought adjective
• well-wrought adjective

Etymology

Origin of wrought

First recorded in 1200–50; Middle English wroght, metathetic variant of worht, past participle of worchen “to work”; work

Example Sentences

Copper wire thefts have wrought havoc in Los Angeles, darkening the iconic 6th Street Bridge and nearby neighborhoods, cutting off phone access to emergency services for residents, and causing internet outages.

From Los Angeles Times

Ms. Williams has by now wrought a remarkable change in her depiction of Anna.

From The Wall Street Journal

In a year of incalculable loss wrought by fire, Pacific Palisades this week has yet another: Its local newspaper.

From Los Angeles Times

But as tensions with Moscow eased and the substantial environmental toll wrought by the rare earth industry gained prominence, the United States gradually offshored capacity in the 1980s and 1990s.

From Barron's

For officials in Singapore, one Australian man’s actions at the “Wicked: For Good” premiere earlier this month wrought enough chaos to keep him out of the country — for good.

From Los Angeles Times