Fehlanzeige

Fehlanzeige is a German noun that denotes a dead end, a false lead, or an indication that fails to materialize as expected. It is used to describe a situation in which an advertised feature, promised result, or hopeful hint proves to be incorrect or fruitless. In everyday language, einer Fehlanzeige states that an assumption did not pay off.

The word is a compound of Fehl- (error, fault, absence) and Anzeige (indication, sign, notification, or advertisement). Although Anzeige can mean advertisement, Fehlanzeige is not primarily about commercial advertising; rather, it refers to an indication or lead that turns out to be misleading or non-existent. The term can be used both literally and figuratively, for example in investigations, research, or everyday expectations.

Typical usage occurs in phrases such as der Hinweis war eine Fehlanzeige or die Spur endete in einer Fehlanzeige. It conveys a sense of disappointment or the futility of pursuing a line of inquiry. In journalistic and formal contexts, Fehler oder fehlgeschlagene Spuren werden ebenfalls als Fehlanzeige bezeichnet.

Related terms include falsche Fährte and vergebliche Spur, which similarly describe misleading or unproductive leads. While Fehlanzeige most often highlights the outcome of a search or inquiry rather than the object of the search itself, it is commonly used across domains from crime reporting to consumer expectations.