Wrack vs. Wreak — What's the Difference?
Difference Between Wrack and Wreak
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Definitions
Wrack➦
Variant spelling of rack (sense 1 of the verb)
Wreak➦
Cause (a large amount of damage or harm)
The environmental damage wreaked by ninety years of phosphate mining
Torrential rainstorms wreaked havoc yesterday
Wrack➦
Any of a number of coarse brown seaweeds which grow on the shoreline, frequently each kind forming a distinct band in relation to high- and low-water marks. Many have air bladders for buoyancy.
Wreak➦
To bring about (damage or destruction, for example)
Wreak havoc.
Wrack➦
Variant spelling of rack
Wreak➦
To inflict (vengeance or punishment) upon a person.
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Wrack➦
A wrecked ship; a shipwreck.
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).
Wrack➦
Destruction or ruin. Used chiefly in the phrase wrack and ruin.
Wreak➦
(Archaic) To take vengeance for; avenge.
Wrack➦
Wreckage, especially of a ship cast ashore.
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.
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Wrack➦
Chiefly British Violent destruction of a building or vehicle.
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.
Wrack➦
Seaweed that has been cast ashore or dried.
Wreak➦
(archaic) To inflict or take vengeance on.
Wrack➦
Any of various brown algae, especially rockweed or kelp.
Wreak➦
(archaic) To take vengeance for.
Wrack➦
Variant of rack3.
Wreak➦
(intransitive) reek
Wrack➦
To cause the ruin of; wreck.
Wreak➦
Revenge; vengeance; furious passion; resentment.
Wrack➦
To be wrecked.
Wreak➦
Punishment; retribution; payback.
Wrack➦
Variant of rack1.
Wreak➦
To reck; to care.
Wrack➦
Vengeance; revenge; persecution; punishment; consequence; trouble.
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.
Wrack➦
Ruin; destruction.
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.
Wrack➦
The remains; a wreck.
Wreak➦
Revenge; vengeance; furious passion; resentment.
Wrack➦
(archaic) Remnant from a shipwreck as washed ashore, or the right to claim such items.
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
Wrack➦
Any marine vegetation cast up on shore, especially seaweed of the family Fucaceae.
Wrack➦
Weeds, vegetation or rubbish floating on a river or pond.
Wrack➦
A high flying cloud; a rack.
Wrack➦
To execute vengeance; avenge.
Wrack➦
To worry; tease; torment.
Wrack➦
To wreck, especially a ship.
Wrack➦
Alternative form of rack
Wrack➦
A thin, flying cloud; a rack.
Wrack➦
Wreck; ruin; destruction.
Wrack➦
Any marine vegetation cast up on the shore, especially plants of the genera Fucus, Laminaria, and Zostera, which are most abundant on northern shores.
Wrack➦
Coarse seaweed of any kind.
Wrack➦
To rack; to torment.
Wrack➦
To wreck.
Wrack➦
Dried seaweed especially that cast ashore
Wrack➦
The destruction or collapse of something;
Wrack and ruin
Wrack➦
Growth of marine vegetation especially of the large forms such as rockweeds and kelp
Wrack➦
Smash or break forcefully;
The kid busted up the car
