They can shatter lives (5)
I believe the answer is:
evils
'they' is the definition.
Both the answer and definition are plural nouns.
Maybe there's an association between them I don't understand?
'shatter lives' is the wordplay.
'shatter' indicates anagramming the letters (I've seen this in other clues).
'lives' with letters rearranged gives 'EVILS'.
'can' is the link.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for evils that I've seen before include "Iniquities" , "immoral actions" , "transgressions" , "Sins and depravities" , "Lives (anag.)" .)