cover-up
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cover-up
The deliberate act of keeping a mistake, crime, scandal, or unpleasant truth secret and hiding it. The goal is to prevent the information from becoming public.
Die Journalisten deckten die Vertuschung des Finanzskandals auf.
The journalists uncovered the cover-up of the financial scandal.
'Die Vertuschung' (the cover-up) is a noun derived from the verb 'vertuschen' (to cover up). The verb describes the active act of deliberately concealing something negative. The ending '-ung' turns this action into a noun.
Man warf ihm vor, den Vorfall vertuscht zu haben.
He was accused of having covered up the incident.
To say what is being covered up, German usually uses the genitive or the preposition 'von' with the dative. For example, 'die Vertuschung des Fehlers' (the cover-up of the mistake) or 'die Vertuschung von Beweisen' (the cover-up of evidence).
Die Vertuschung der Affäre schadete dem Ansehen des Politikers.
The cover-up of the affair damaged the politician's reputation.
The word is often used in negative contexts such as politics or crime. Common combinations are 'eine Vertuschung aufdecken' (to uncover a cover-up), 'der Versuch der Vertuschung' (the attempt at a cover-up), or 'jemandem Vertuschung vorwerfen' (to accuse someone of a cover-up).
Die Presse deckte den Versuch der Vertuschung durch die Regierung auf.
The press uncovered the government's attempted cover-up.
revelation / unveiling
'die Enthüllung' and 'die Vertuschung' are clear opposites. An 'Enthüllung' brings secret or unpleasant information into the public eye. A 'Vertuschung' tries to prevent exactly that: mistakes, crimes, or scandals are meant to stay hidden. 'Vertuschung' usually sounds negative because someone is deliberately hiding the truth. 'Enthüllung' fits when this hidden truth becomes known.
Im Bericht geht es um die Vertuschung eines schweren Fehlers.
The report is about the cover-up of a serious mistake.
Beim Frühstück las ich von der Enthüllung eines großen Skandals.
At breakfast, I read about the revelation of a major scandal.