havoc 1 of 2

noun

ˈha-vək How to pronounce havoc (audio)
Definition of havocnext
1
as in hell
a state in which everything is out of order computer network problems created havoc throughout the office

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in devastation
the state or fact of being rendered nonexistent, physically unsound, or useless the powerful hurricane wreaked havoc all along the coast

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

havoc

2 of 2

verb

as in to ravage

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of havoc
Noun
But in recent weeks, the fish have wreaked havoc for fishermen off the coast of Crete and several other Greek islands, chomping through nets. — ABC News, 26 June 2026 The beloved southern elephant seal, Neil the Seal, is back in Tasmania, causing havoc yet again and garnering fans through his antics. — Julia Gomez, USA Today, 1 July 2026
Verb
Even after hours of fast traveling, horseback riding, and slowly jogging from point A to point B, there were more quests to find, gear to loot, and havoc to wreak. — PC Magazine, 22 May 2025 The change launches biannual arguments about the practice, wrecks havoc on sleep and has inspired voters to go to California polls. — Hannah Poukish, Sacbee.com, 7 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for havoc
Recent Examples of Synonyms for havoc
  1. hell
  2. devastation
  3. ravage
  4. chaos
  5. destruction
  6. plunder
  7. mess
  8. loss
Noun
  • When the typewriter was first invented, writers kicked hell and said, The thing is writing.
    — Will Oremus, The Atlantic, 3 July 2026
  • The cast, of course, knew that experience of family as heaven, hell and somewhere in between.
    — Georg Szalai, HollywoodReporter, 2 July 2026
Definition of hell
Noun
  • Alfonzo’s younger sister, Eliana, and stepmother, Patricia, have been missing since last month when earthquakes caused widespread devastation in his home country of Venezuela.
    — Maddie Lee, Los Angeles Times, 5 July 2026
  • Yet amid the devastation, what stands out is the determination of ordinary Venezuelans.
    — James Longman, ABC News, 3 July 2026
Definition of devastation
Verb
  • Shana McDiarmid and her now-boyfriend, Cameron, are another couple who benefitted from the foundation after their rental property was ravaged thanks to its proximity to the river.
    — Johnny Dodd, PEOPLE, 1 July 2026
  • Were civic centers nothing more than Trojan horses designed to ravage humanities departments across the nation?
    — Ann Manov, Harpers Magazine, 30 June 2026
Definition of ravage
Noun
  • Summer uses a family trip to a Caribbean resort to cause chaos and sabotage the relationship.
    — Brian Truitt, USA Today, 3 July 2026
  • But lately, the chaos in the United States made the song seem regrettably apropos.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 3 July 2026
Definition of chaos
Noun
  • Rodríguez said authorities have recorded 862 aftershocks since the main quakes and confirmed that 189 buildings collapsed completely nationwide, the vast majority in La Guaira, the coastal state that suffered the worst destruction.
    — Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 3 July 2026
  • Our previous card featured the fiery destruction of the Missouri Pacific depot in 1909.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 2 July 2026
Definition of destruction
Verb
  • Meanwhile, Lohar’s surviving mercenaries are plundering villages.
    — Amanda Whiting, Vulture, 6 July 2026
  • Or was the hole man-made with a malevolent intent, perhaps plundering a grave for artifacts?
    — Kenneth R. Gosselin, Hartford Courant, 28 June 2026
Definition of plunder
Noun
  • The coach inherited a mess and wiped the slate clean with 40-plus transfers.
    — Tom Layberger, Forbes.com, 6 July 2026
  • Melting suet turns rancid fast and creates a mess of bird plumage.
    — Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 4 July 2026
Definition of mess
Noun
  • The congregation started to arrive at the usual time, about half an hour before Mass on a recent Saturday afternoon, the old church slowly filling with the descendants and caretakers of a place of great serenity but also great loss.
    — Andrew Carter, Chicago Tribune, 5 July 2026
  • Fireflies are facing growing challenges from habitat loss, pesticide use, climate change and light pollution.
    — Janet Loehrke, USA Today, 5 July 2026
Definition of loss

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Cite this Entry

“Havoc.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/havoc. Accessed 8 Jul. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of havoc for Spanish Speakers

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