Showing results for "wrought"

• past tense form of work.
• past participle of work.

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

Synonym Usage

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”; see origin at work

Explanation

Wrought is an adjective that means "molded, shaped, or manufactured." A wrought-iron fence has been shaped to fit a particular ornamental style. Wrought is most often used as an adjective to describe the shaping, altering, molding, and manufacturing of various metals. As a verb, wrought is the archaic past tense of the word work but is often confused as a past tense for the word wreak, which means "to cause damage." The confusion arises from the fact that the phrase "wrought havoc" is an acceptable variant of the phrase "wreaked havoc," but even here, wrought is etymologically rooted in the word work not wreak.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

wrought

Last year’s run took place in Venice due to the destruction wrought by the fires.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 4, 2026

But Washington instead may seek to use those funds to pay for damage wrought by Iranian strikes on Gulf allies.

From Barron's ● Jun. 7, 2026

Delivering a commencement address at the University of Arizona, Schmidt told students the “technological transformation” wrought by artificial intelligence will be “larger, faster and more consequential than what came before.”

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 19, 2026

But by the end of a hugely contentious and emotionally wrought night, one which ended with recriminations and angry words, the equation was much less favourable.

From BBC ● May 15, 2026

“Please, hon, don’t let yourself get all wrought up.”

From "Cold Sassy Tree" by Olive Ann Burns