entlarven

Entlarven is a German verb meaning to unmask or to expose something that has been concealed, such as a deception, a false claim, or a hidden identity. The action implies revealing what lies behind appearances, often by presenting evidence or reasoning that contradicts a façade. In usage, entlarven can refer to individuals, groups, beliefs, or systems, and it frequently carries a judgment about transparency and credibility.

In practice, entlarven occurs in journalism, politics, law, and everyday speech. Investigative reporting may entlarven corruption, for example, while a critic might entlarven contradictions in a politician’s statements. The term is transitive: jemanden entlarven (to unmask someone) or metaphorically, eine Lüge entlarven (to expose a lie). The act of unmasking can change how others are perceived and may have consequences for accountability.

Grammatical notes: entlarven is a regular German verb. The past participle is entlarvt, used with haben (hat entlarvt). The noun form is Entlarvung (the act of unmasking). See also terms in broader discourse such as unmasking, exposure, and debunking.