zerstören
Translation
to destroy, to ruin, to demolish
Examples
Der Sturm hat das Haus zerstört.
The storm destroyed the house.
Du zerstörst meine Pläne.
You are ruining my plans.
Grammar Patterns
((sth.)) to destroy sth. The storm destroyed the house.
Similar Words
Synonyms: vernichten, kaputtmachen; Antonyms: aufbauen, erschaffen
Etymology
The prefix 'zer-' indicates separation or destruction, and 'stören' means 'to disturb'. So, it literally means 'to disturb to pieces'.
Memory Tips
Think of a building being reduced to 'zero stories' after being destroyed.