devastate

verwüsten

To ruin many or all things over a large area, such as most or all buildings of a city, or cities of a region, or trees of a forest

• Tom was devastated when Mary broke up with him.

  Tom war am Boden zerstört, als Maria mit ihm Schluss machte.

  Tatoeba · Hybrid · CC BY 2.0 FR

• Water devastated the whole city.

  Tatoeba · CarpeLanam · CC BY 2.0 FR

verwüsten

To destroy a whole collection of related ideas, beliefs, and strongly held opinions

verwüsten

To break beyond recovery or repair so that the only options are abandonment or the clearing away of useless remains (if any) and starting over

verwüsten

To greatly demoralize, to cause to suffer intense grief or dismay