Wrought is an old-fashioned past tense of the verb “work,” meaning shaped, formed, or created through effort and skill. When something is wrought, it has been carefully made or brought into being, often through hard physical labor or intense craftsmanship.

You'll most often see this word describing metal that has been hammered, bent, and shaped by hand. Wrought iron refers to iron that a blacksmith has heated and worked into gates, fences, or decorative railings. The beautiful, curving patterns in old wrought iron fences weren't cast in molds: they were wrought by skilled craftspeople who hammered and twisted each piece into shape.

The word appears in older writing to describe things brought about through effort or emotion. Great changes might be “wrought by courage” when brave actions create important transformations.

Though we rarely use wrought in everyday conversation anymore (we'd say “worked” instead), it carries a sense of something carefully crafted or powerfully created. When you see this word, think of something made with intention and effort, something that required real work to bring into existence.