01
verheerend
devastating
Having a catastrophic, destructive effect; resulting in very serious consequences.
example
Der Sturm hatte verheerende Auswirkungen auf die Küstenregion.
The storm had devastating effects on the coastal region.
verheerend
devastating
Checking...
Loading your saved state.
Meanings
01 / 02
Usage tips
Word family
The adjective 'verheerend' (devastating) derives from the verb 'verheeren' (to lay waste / to destroy), which means 'verwüsten' (to devastate) or 'zerstören' (to destroy). This destructive force is present in both meanings of the adjective.
EXAMPLE
Der Krieg verheerte das ganze Land.
The war devastated the entire country.
Context clue
You can recognize the meaning from the noun: with concrete events such as 'Brand' (fire), 'Sturm' (storm), or 'Unfall' (accident), literal destruction is meant. With abstract terms such as 'Kritik' (criticism), 'Eindruck' (impression), or 'Ergebnis' (result), the figurative, disastrous meaning is meant.
EXAMPLE
Das Erdbeben hatte verheerende Folgen für die Stadt.
The earthquake had devastating consequences for the city.
Typical collocations
In the literal meaning, 'verheerend' (devastating) is often combined with the nouns 'Folgen' (consequences), 'Auswirkungen' (effects), 'Schäden' (damage), or 'Verluste' (losses).
EXAMPLE
Die Dürre hatte verheerende Auswirkungen auf die Landwirtschaft.
The drought had devastating effects on agriculture.
Typical collocations
In the figurative meaning, 'verheerend' (devastating) is often used with words that express an evaluation, such as 'Urteil' (judgment), 'Kritik' (criticism), 'Bilanz' (balance sheet / assessment), or 'Eindruck' (impression).
EXAMPLE
Die finanzielle Bilanz des Unternehmens für das letzte Quartal war verheerend.
The company's financial results for the last quarter were devastating.
Compare with
verheerend vs harmlos
harmless
'harmlos' and 'verheerend' are opposites when talking about consequences. 'harmlos' means that something causes no damage or hardly any damage. 'verheerend' means that something has very serious or destructive consequences. This can fit real damage, for example after a storm, but also figurative situations, such as a very bad decision. If the consequences remain small, you would be more likely to say 'harmlos'; if they are very serious, 'verheerend' fits.
verheerend
Der Brand im Lager hatte verheerende Folgen für die kleine Firma.
The fire in the warehouse had devastating consequences for the small company.
harmlos
Zum Glück war der Sturz harmlos, und das Kind konnte weiterlaufen.
Luckily, the fall was harmless, and the child was able to keep walking.
In real life
Loading video examples...