Writing Tip 141: Wreak vs. Wreck Havoc

VCU Havoc
Okay, maybe we’re a month away from basketball season, but VCU fans, I can’t write this post without a shout-out to you.

Pronouncing this phrase, there isn’t often confusion, but when it comes to writing “wreak havoc,” fingers somehow tend to get confused as they type away on their keyboards. Has this happened to you? If so, here’s a gentle reminder:

  • To “wreak” means to inflict or create; thus, to “wreak havoc” means to create havoc or to create chaos or mayhem.
  • If you’re “wrecking havoc,” you’re truly a force to be reckoned with since you’re destroying chaos. Watch out for you. I know I will.

Watch your spelling, and make sure you know what you’re saying, folks. Throwing a hashtag in front of “havoc” isn’t enough to save you.