Wreak vs. Wreck — What's the Difference?
Difference Between Wreak and Wreck
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Definitions
Wreak
Cause (a large amount of damage or harm)
The environmental damage wreaked by ninety years of phosphate mining
Torrential rainstorms wreaked havoc yesterday
Wreck
The destruction of a ship at sea; a shipwreck
The survivors of the wreck
Wreak
To bring about (damage or destruction, for example)
Wreak havoc.
Wreck
Something, especially a vehicle or building, that has been badly damaged or destroyed
The wreck of their marriage
The plane was reduced to a smouldering wreck
Wreak
To inflict (vengeance or punishment) upon a person.
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Wreck
A person whose physical or mental health or strength has failed
The scandal left the family emotional wrecks
Wreak
To give vent to or act upon (one's feelings)
"He sought for some excuse to wreak his hatred upon Tarzan" (Edgar Rice Burroughs).
Wreck
Cause the destruction of (a ship) by sinking or breaking up
He was drowned when his ship was wrecked
Wreak
(Archaic) To take vengeance for; avenge.
Wreck
Destroy or severely damage (a structure, vehicle, or similar)
The blast wrecked 100 houses
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Wreak
(transitive) To cause harm; to afflict; to inflict; to harm or injure; to let out harm.
The earthquake wreaked havoc in the city.
She wreaked her anger on his car.
Wreck
Engage in breaking up badly damaged vehicles or demolishing old buildings to obtain usable spares or scrap.
Wreak
(transitive) To chasten, or chastise/chastize, or castigate, or punish, or smite.
The police abused their authority to wreak an innocent.
The criminal has been wreaked by the Judge to spend a year in prison.
Wreck
The act of destroying or the state of being destroyed; destruction
"The filmmaker ... was hardly the first person to blame misguided agriculture for the wreck of the plains" (Timothy Egan).
Wreak
(archaic) To inflict or take vengeance on.
Wreck
Accidental destruction of a ship; a shipwreck.
Wreak
(archaic) To take vengeance for.
Wreck
The stranded hulk of a severely damaged ship.
Wreak
(intransitive) reek
Wreck
Fragments of a ship or its cargo cast ashore by the sea after a shipwreck; wreckage.
Wreak
Revenge; vengeance; furious passion; resentment.
Wreck
An automobile or railroad collision or accident
Witnessed a wreck on the highway.
Wreak
Punishment; retribution; payback.
Wreck
The remains of something that has been wrecked, especially an automobile that has crashed
Walked away unharmed from the wreck.
Wreak
To reck; to care.
Wreck
Something that is dilapidated or worn out
Still driving that wreck of a car.
Living in a wreck of a house.
Wreak
To revenge; to avenge.
He should wreake him on his foes.
Another's wrongs to wreak upon thyself.
Come wreak his loss, whom bootless ye complain.
Wreck
A person who is physically or mentally worn out.
Wreak
To execute in vengeance or passion; to inflict; to hurl or drive; as, to wreak vengeance on an enemy.
On me let Death wreak all his rage.
Now was the time to be avenged on his old enemy, to wreak a grudge of seventeen years.
But gather all thy powers,And wreak them on the verse that thou dost weave.
Wreck
To cause the destruction of in a collision
Wrecked the car by hitting a tree.
Wreak
Revenge; vengeance; furious passion; resentment.
Wreck
To dismantle or raze; tear down.
Wreak
Cause to happen or to occur as a consequence;
I cannot work a miracle
Wreak havoc
Bring comments
Play a joke
The rain brought relief to the drought-stricken area
Wreck
To cause to undergo ruin or disaster
An argument that wrecked their friendship. See Usage Note at wreak.
Wreck
To suffer destruction or ruin; become wrecked
A ship that wrecked on the rocks.
Wreck
(Informal) To experience or cause an accident in which the vehicle one is riding in is badly damaged
They were speeding over 70 miles an hour when they wrecked.
Wreck
To work as a wrecker.
Wreck
Something or someone that has been ruined.
He was an emotional wreck after the death of his wife.
Wreck
The remains of something that has been severely damaged or worn down.
Wreck
An event in which something is damaged through collision.
Wreck
A shipwreck: an event in which a ship is heavily damaged or destroyed.
Wreck
Goods, etc. cast ashore by the sea after a shipwreck.
Wreck
(ornithology) A large number of birds that have been brought to the ground, injured or dead, by extremely adverse weather.
Wreck
(transitive) To destroy violently; to cause severe damage to something, to a point where it no longer works, or is useless.
He wrecked the car in a collision.
That adulterous hussy wrecked my marriage!
Wreck
(transitive) To ruin or dilapidate.
Wreck
To dismantle wrecked vehicles or other objects, to reclaim any useful parts.
Wreck
(transitive) To involve in a wreck; hence, to cause to suffer ruin; to balk of success, and bring disaster on.
Wreck
(intransitive) To be involved in a wreck; to be damaged or destroyed.
Wreck
See 2d & 3d Wreak.
Wreck
To destroy, disable, or seriously damage, as a vessel, by driving it against the shore or on rocks, by causing it to become unseaworthy, to founder, or the like; to shipwreck.
Supposing that they saw the king's ship wrecked.
Wreck
To bring wreck or ruin upon by any kind of violence; to destroy, as a railroad train.
Wreck
To involve in a wreck; hence, to cause to suffer ruin; to balk of success, and bring disaster on.
Weak and envied, if they should conspire,They wreck themselves.
Wreck
To suffer wreck or ruin.
Wreck
To work upon a wreck, as in saving property or lives, or in plundering.
Wreck
The destruction or injury of a vessel by being cast on shore, or on rocks, or by being disabled or sunk by the force of winds or waves; shipwreck.
Hard and obstinateAs is a rock amidst the raging floods,'Gainst which a ship, of succor desolate,Doth suffer wreck, both of herself and goods.
Wreck
Destruction or injury of anything, especially by violence; ruin; as, the wreck of a railroad train.
The wreck of matter and the crush of worlds.
Its intellectual life was thus able to go on amidst the wreck of its political life.
Wreck
The ruins of a ship stranded; a ship dashed against rocks or land, and broken, or otherwise rendered useless, by violence and fracture; as, they burned the wreck.
Wreck
The remain of anything ruined or fatally injured.
To the fair haven of my native home,The wreck of what I was, fatigued I come.
Wreck
Goods, etc., which, after a shipwreck, are cast upon the land by the sea.
Wreck
Something or someone that has suffered ruin or dilapidation;
The house was a wreck when they bought it
Thanks to that quack I am a human wreck
Wreck
An accident that destroys a ship at sea
Wreck
A serious accident (usually involving one or more vehicles);
They are still investigating the crash of the TWA plane
Wreck
A ship that has been destroyed at sea
Wreck
Smash or break forcefully;
The kid busted up the car
