Word Choice: Rack vs. Wrack

The words ‘rack’ and ‘wrack’ cause a lot of confusion. This is understandable: after all, they sound the same when spoken, despite that tricky ‘w’ at the start of the latter.

However, these words have different origins. And although they overlap in meaning, they also have distinct uses. So, how should you use these terms if you want to avoid mistakes?

Rack (Torture and Storage)

Originally, ‘rack’ came from the Middle Dutch word ‘rekken’, which meant ‘stretch out’. This makes sense if you think of medieval torture devices, as we’re sure you regularly do:

They forced a confession by placing him on the rack for hours.

This is also why we use ‘rack’ as a verb meaning ‘cause pain, strain or distress’:

She racked her brain to find a solution.

Another use of ‘rack’ refers to a framework, usually with hooks or rails, used for storage:

I put the cumin back in the spice rack.

It might seem odd, but this use of ‘rack’ has the same roots as the torture device! We can only imagine what the medieval Dutch were doing to their spices for this to make sense.

Wrack (Wrecks and Destruction)

‘Wrack’, meanwhile, comes from another Middle Dutch word, ‘wrak’, meaning ‘shipwreck’. It is rare to see ‘wrack’ used like this these days, but the associations with destruction remain.

For instance, the phrase ‘storm-wracked’ once meant ‘wrecked by a storm’, but now we just use it to mean ‘stormy’ (e.g. ‘a storm-wracked sky’). Similarly, ‘wrack and ruin’ means ‘complete destruction’ (although this term is often spelled ‘rack and ruin’ in modern English).

Because of this link to destruction, ‘wrack’ has often been used in place of ‘rack’ when referring to pain or suffering. As such, it’s not unusual to see something like this:

After falling off my bike, my leg was wracked with pain.

This is technically incorrect, but it has become common enough that most people now accept it.

There are a few extra meanings of ‘wrack’, too, such as a type of seaweed. But these are very specific usages, so you shouldn’t have trouble mixing them up with ‘rack’.

Rack or Wrack?

This is a tricky one, as ‘wrack’ is now considered a variant spelling of ‘rack’. As such, on a day-to-day basis, you shouldn’t worry too much about which term you pick.

However, in formal writing, it is worth considering which term to use. Most of the time, ‘rack’ will be correct, as this word applies in many contexts. ‘Wrack’ is less common, but you could use it when writing about a shipwreck (or seaweed) or in the phrases ‘wrack and ruin’ and ‘storm-wracked’.

The most important thing is that ‘wrack’ never applies to storage or torture devices. In addition, it is only used as a verb when referring to figurative pain or distress. As such, while you can use ‘wrack’ as a variant spelling of ‘rack’ in a phrase like ‘I’m wracking my brain’, you shouldn’t say ‘they wracked the prisoner’, as this refers to a literal torture device. Remember:

Rack = A storage device, a torture method, or causing pain

Wrack = A wreck, seaweed, or a variant spelling of ‘rack’