zerklüftet
rugged
Definition & meaning
zerklüftet is an adjective meaning rugged, jagged, deeply fissured, or broken up.
It is mainly used in two ways:
-
Literal, especially for landscapes:
A surface with many deep cracks, ravines, cliffs, or irregular divisions.- eine zerklüftete Landschaft — a rugged, craggy landscape
- eine zerklüftete Küste — a jagged, deeply indented coast
-
Figurative:
Something that is strongly divided, fragmented, or lacking unity.- eine zerklüftete Gesellschaft — a deeply divided society
- eine zerklüftete politische Landschaft — a fragmented political landscape
Grammar & Word origin
zerklüftet is the adjective and past participle of zerklüften , “to split, fissure, or break up.”
It consists of:
- zer- — a prefix expressing separation, destruction, or breaking apart
- Kluft — “cleft,” “fissure,” “rift,” or “gap”
The related noun die Zerklüftung means “ruggedness,” “fissuring,” or “fragmentation.”
As an adjective, it takes normal German adjective endings:
- ein zerklüftetes Gebirge — a rugged mountain range
- eine zerklüftete Küste — a jagged coast
- zerklüftete Felsen — craggy rocks
Synonyms & antonyms
Synonyms
- zerfurcht — furrowed or deeply grooved; often describes soil, faces, or surfaces with many lines
- zerrissen — torn or divided; more often figurative and can suggest emotional or political conflict
- zersplittert — fragmented or splintered into many separate parts; emphasizes disunity
- uneben — uneven or irregular, but weaker and less dramatic than zerklüftet
- felsig — rocky; describes the presence of rocks rather than deep fissures or fragmentation
Antonyms
- eben — flat or level
- glatt — smooth, without roughness or deep irregularities
- zusammenhängend — coherent or continuous; the figurative opposite when referring to a fragmented area or structure
- geschlossen — unified or closed; often the opposite in a social, political, or conceptual context
- vereint — united; the figurative opposite of a divided group or society
Common phrases & collocations
- eine zerklüftete Landschaft — a rugged landscape
- ein zerklüftetes Gebirge — a rugged mountain range
- eine zerklüftete Küste — a jagged or deeply indented coast
- zerklüftete Felsen — craggy rocks
- eine zerklüftete Gesellschaft — a deeply divided society
- eine zerklüftete Parteienlandschaft — a fragmented party landscape
- politisch zerklüftet — politically divided
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Examples
Die Landschaft wirkt zerklüftet und wild.adjective
The landscape appears rugged and wild.
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