relieved / removed
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removed from office
Describes the state of having been formally relieved or released from a duty, task, or office. It is often used in legal or official contexts.
Nach dem Skandal war der Minister seines Amtes enthoben.
After the scandal, the minister had been removed from office.
'Enthoben' (relieved/removed) is the past participle of the verb 'entheben' (to relieve/remove). The prefix 'ent-' here means 'away' or 'remove', and 'heben' means 'to lift'. Literally, someone is therefore 'lifted away' from their position.
Der Beamte wurde seines Postens enthoben.
The official was removed from his post.
This word is almost always used with a genitive object. This object describes the duty, office, or worry from which a person is freed. The structure is: '(einer Sache) enthoben sein' (to be relieved/freed of something).
Der Richter wurde seines Amtes enthoben.
The judge was removed from office.
In the meaning 'von einem Amt befreit' (relieved/removed from an office), 'enthoben' (relieved/removed) belongs to formal administrative and legal language. It would hardly be used in everyday speech.
Dem Geschäftsführer wurde mit sofortiger Wirkung die Verantwortung enthoben.
The managing director was relieved of responsibility with immediate effect.
The figurative meaning of standing above things is typical of elevated or poetic language. It describes a state of inner freedom and distance.
Nach der Meditation fühlte sie sich dem Alltagsstress enthoben.
After the meditation, she felt removed from everyday stress.
to dismiss / discharge
'entlassen' and 'enthoben' can both mean that someone no longer has a task or position. 'entlassen' is the normal word when an employment relationship is ended. It also fits many everyday professional situations. 'enthoben' is much more formal and means that someone has been officially relieved of an office, duty, or task. It often appears in legal or administrative contexts. Learners may confuse the words because both describe an official ending. For ordinary jobs, people usually say 'entlassen'; for an office or a special duty, 'enthoben' is more likely.
Nach der Untersuchung wurde der Beamte seines Amtes enthoben.
After the investigation, the official was removed from office.
Weil die Firma sparen muss, entlässt sie mehrere Mitarbeiter.
Because the company has to cut costs, it is firing several employees.