vernielen

Vernielen is a Dutch verb meaning to ruin, destroy, or damage severely something tangible or intangible. It is used for extensive harm, whether to objects such as buildings, landscapes, or infrastructure, or to more abstract things like trust, plans, or reputations. The term implies more than ordinary damage and often conveys a sense of intentional or heedless destruction.

Etymology: The verb originates from Middle Dutch vernielen, with roots in the older Germanic language family. It is related to the noun vernieling, meaning ruin or devastation. The word belongs to the common Dutch verb family formed with the suffix -eren to express an action performed on or toward something.

Usage and grammar: Vernielen is a transitive verb and requires a direct object. It conjugates as a regular weak verb. Present tense forms include ik verniel, jij vernielt, hij vernielt, wij vernielen, jullie vernielen, zij vernielen. The past tense is vernielde, and the past participle is vernield. The perfect tense is formed with hebben: heeft vernield.

Examples: De brand vernielde een groot deel van het dorp. De storm heeft meerdere huizen vernield. De leugen heeft het vertrouwen van velen vernield.

Notes: Vernielen is generally stronger than synonyms such as beschadigen (to damage) or geruststoren, and is used when the destruction is substantial or total. It can also be used figuratively to indicate profound disruption or breakdown of systems, beliefs, or relationships.