verwerfen
to reject
To reject a plan, idea, proposal, or concept as unusable or wrong and not pursue it further.
EXAMPLE
Nach langer Diskussion wurde der ursprüngliche Entwurf verworfen.
After a long discussion, the original draft was rejected.
verwerfen
to reject / warp
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Meanings
sich verwerfen
to warp
To deform or bend, usually referring to material such as wood that changes its shape due to moisture or drying.
EXAMPLE
Die Holzdielen haben sich mit der Zeit leider etwas verworfen.
Unfortunately, the wooden floorboards have warped a little over time.
verwerfen
to displace
In geology, the shifting of rock layers along a fault line.
EXAMPLE
Durch die Erdplattenbewegung wurden die Schichten um mehrere Meter verworfen.
Due to the movement of the Earth's plates, the layers were displaced by several meters.
Usage tips
Inseparable verb
'Verwerfen' is a strong, inseparable verb. The prefix 'ver-' always stays attached to the stem, and the past forms are irregular: verwerfen, verwarf, hat verworfen.
EXAMPLE
Der Ausschuss verwarf den Vorschlag ohne weitere Diskussion.
The committee rejected the proposal without further discussion.
Typical collocations
In the meaning 'ablehnen' (to reject), 'verwerfen' is almost always used with abstract nouns that describe an idea or concept. Typical examples are: 'einen Plan verwerfen' (to reject a plan), 'eine Idee verwerfen' (to reject an idea), 'einen Gedanken verwerfen' (to reject a thought), or 'ein Konzept verwerfen' (to reject a concept).
EXAMPLE
Wir mussten unsere ursprüngliche Idee leider verwerfen.
Unfortunately, we had to reject our original idea.
Reflexive use
When a material becomes deformed, the verb is used reflexively: 'sich verwerfen' (to warp). The subject of the sentence is then the material itself, which bends or curves.
EXAMPLE
Das feuchte Holz hat sich beim Trocknen stark verworfen.
The damp wood warped badly while drying.
Register
This meaning of 'verwerfen' is technical language from geology. You find it only in scientific or very specific texts about rock formations and tectonics.
EXAMPLE
Die Gesteinsschichten wurden während der Gebirgsbildung verworfen und gefaltet.
The rock layers were displaced and folded during mountain formation.
Compare with
verwerfen vs ablehnen
to reject
Both verbs can be used to reject an idea, plan, or suggestion. Ablehnen initially only says that something is not accepted; verwerfen judges it more strongly as unusable or wrong and usually means that it will not be pursued further. Use verwerfen when this negative evaluation is important.
verwerfen
Das Team verwarf den Vorschlag als unbrauchbar und suchte eine andere Lösung.
The team dismissed the proposal as unusable and looked for another solution.
ablehnen
Das Team lehnte den Vorschlag wegen des knappen Budgets ab.
The team rejected the proposal because of the tight budget.
In real life
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