# wreak

> English word · Verb · IPA /ɹiːk/ · frequency rank #31,415

## Definitions
1. To cause harm; to afflict; to inflict; to harm or injure; to let out harm.
2. To chasten, or chastise/chastize, or castigate, or punish, or smite.
3. To inflict or take vengeance on.
4. To take vengeance for.
5. Misspelling of reek.

## Etymology
From Middle English wreken, from Old English wrecan, from Proto-West Germanic *wrekan, from Proto-Germanic *wrekaną, from Proto-Indo-European *wreg- (“push, shove, drive, track down”). Cognate via Proto-Germanic with Dutch wreken, German rächen, Swedish vräka; cognate via PIE with Latin urgēre (English urge), and distantly cognate with English wreck.

## Easily confused with
- **wren** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/wreak-vs-wren)
- **wreck** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/wreak-vs-wreck)
- **wrest** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/wreak-vs-wrest)
- **wreath** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/wreak-vs-wreath)
- **wrecks** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/wreak-vs-wrecks)
- **Wea** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/wea-vs-wreak)
- **week** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/week-vs-wreak)
- **wear** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/wear-vs-wreak)
- **weak** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/weak-vs-wreak)
- **wrap** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/wrap-vs-wreak)
- **Wray** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/wray-vs-wreak)
- **wean** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/wean-vs-wreak)
- **werk** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/werk-vs-wreak)
- **wheat** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/wheat-vs-wreak)

## Common misspellings (7)
`rweak`, `werak`, `wraek`, `wreakk`, `wreka`, `wrreak`, `wwreak`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/wreak