zerrütten
Translation
to ruin, to shatter, to wreck, to disrupt
Examples
Der Skandal hat seinen Ruf zerrüttet.
The scandal has ruined his reputation.
Ihre Nerven sind völlig zerrüttet.
Her nerves are completely shattered.
Der Krieg hat die Wirtschaft des Landes zerrüttet.
The war has wrecked the country's economy.
Grammar Patterns
((sth.)) to ruin sth. to ruin sth. The war ruined the country.
Similar Words
zerstören (to destroy), ruinieren (to ruin), untergraben (to undermine)
Etymology
From 'zer-' (destruction) + 'rütteln' (to shake). Literally, to shake something to pieces.
Memory Tips
Think of 'rütteln' (shaking) and add the destructive prefix 'zer-'. You shake something so hard it falls apart, like a relationship, one's health, or an economy.