German word

verschwinden

Pronunciation

IPA/fɛɐ̯ˈʃvɪndn̩/

Meaning

  • verbdisappear

Example

Die Sonne verschwindet hinter den Wolken.

The sun disappears behind the clouds.

Illustration for verschwinden (disappear)

More examples

Die Katze ist über Nacht verschwunden.

The cat disappeared overnight.

Core concept

A person, object, or sight slips out of view or reach until it can no longer be seen or located.

Common phrases

  • über Nacht verschwinden

    disappear overnight

  • vollständig verschwinden

    disappear completely

  • in der Menge verschwinden

    disappear into the crowd

Similar words

verloren gehen: End up lost and no longer easy to find.
fehlen: Be absent from the place where the person or thing should be.
untertauchen: Conceal oneself from people or official records.
weggehen: Depart from a place and become out of sight.

Definition in German

Nicht mehr sichtbar oder auffindbar sein; das Verschwinden von Personen, Dingen oder Erscheinungen beschreiben.

Word origin

German verschwinden combines ver- with inherited Germanic schwinden, meaning to dwindle or fade away, and expresses passing out of sight.

Usage tips

  • The perfect tense uses sein: Er ist verschwunden, not Er hat verschwunden.

Other meanings

  • be goneverb
  • vanishverb

Opposites

Related words

  • das Verschwindendisappearancenoun
  • verschwundengoneadjective

Word lists with this word