wrought

[rawt]

verb

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

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

/ rɔːt /

verb

1. archaic,  a past tense and past participle of work

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

Other Word Forms

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of wrought¹

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of wrought¹

C16: variant of worht, from Old English geworht, past participle of ( ge ) wyrcan to _work

Synonym Study

See worked.

Example Sentences

A deep sense of the ultimate catastrophe these battles wrought for the victors is evident.

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The only person who can turn down the proverbial temperature on this issue is Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who should know all the bad that American imperialism has wrought on Latin America.

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“Accessing the parlor level, Carrara marble stairs rise with mahogany bannisters, reinforced at the landings with wrought iron bars that provide both safety and beauty-an architectural detail that reflects the craftsmanship carried throughout the home.”

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Ben Franklin, famously asked by a woman on the street in Philadelphia what sort of government the Constitutional Convention had wrought, is reported to have said, “A republic, if you can keep it.”

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“In the time since, the changes wrought by AI have only come faster.”

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