also: えんめつ
noun, noun or participle which takes 'suru', intransitive verb, transitive verb
destruction of evidence; spoliation; suppression
Primarily a legal term for destroying, hiding, or tampering with evidence. Also used more broadly for suppressing or obliterating something to prevent its discovery.
彼は証拠隠滅の罪で逮捕された。
He was arrested for destruction of evidence.
会社は不都合な文書を隠滅しようとした。
The company tried to suppress inconvenient documents.
noun, noun or participle which takes 'suru', intransitive verb
Only when written 隠滅
Restricted to the kanji form 隠滅. Refers to hiding or concealing something, not necessarily evidence. Less common than the legal sense.
彼は自分の過去を隠滅して新しい人生を始めた。
He hid his past and started a new life.