verb

verheimlichen

hide

Etwas absichtlich nicht sagen oder so tun, als wäre es nicht da, damit andere es nicht wissen.

Definition & meaning

The verb verheimlichen means to keep something secret, to hide information from someone, or to conceal facts. It implies an active intention to prevent others from knowing a particular truth or piece of information.

To conceal/hide information: When someone deliberately chooses not to disclose a fact to someone else (e.g., "Er hat seine Krankheit verheimlicht" - He concealed his illness).
To keep something under wraps: It is often used in contexts involving secrets, intentions, or past actions that are intentionally kept away from the public or specific individuals.

Grammar & Word origin

Grammar:

It is a regular (weak) verb.
The past tense is verheimlichte and the past participle is verheimlicht.
It is a transitive verb, meaning it usually takes an accusative object (the thing being hidden) and often a dative object (the person from whom it is being hidden). Example: "Er verheimlicht mir die Wahrheit."

Word origin:

The word is composed of the prefix ver- (often indicating a negative or "away" sense) and the adjective heimlich (secret/covert). The root is heim (home), which historically evolved from "something belonging to the house/family" to "something private/secret."