disclose
Americanverb (used with object)
-
discloses,
present (3rd person singular)
-
disclosed,
past participle, past
-
disclosing
present participle
noun
verb
-
to make (information) known
-
to allow to be seen; lay bare
Synonym Usage
See reveal.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
disclosesimple
-
disclosessimple
-
have disclosedperfect
-
has disclosedperfect
-
am disclosingprogressive
-
are disclosingprogressive
-
is disclosingprogressive
-
have been disclosingperfect progressive
-
has been disclosingperfect progressive
Past
-
disclosedsimple
-
had disclosedperfect
-
was disclosingprogressive
-
were disclosingprogressive
-
had been disclosingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of disclose
First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English disclosen, desclosen, from Old French desclos-, stem of desclore, equivalent to des- dis- 1 + clore “to close,” from Latin claudere; see close
Explanation
Disclose means to reveal or expose information that has previously been kept a secret — like a politician might be forced to disclose his finances or former scandals while running for office. When a politician, corporate executive, or celebrity announces that he or she has something to disclose, the public listens. They know that the information they're about to hear was kept secret for a reason. Something incriminating or juicy is about to be revealed, like a secret affair or plummeting company profits.
Vocabulary lists containing disclose
Case Closed: Clud, Clus
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
A Christmas Carol
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
The Launch of Sputnik 1
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
Agencies have to disclose their plans in advance, gathering public comment.
From Salon ● Aug. 15, 2026
The rapper did not disclose the specifics of this health condition but shared that a side of his heart is “still enlarged.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 13, 2026
After speculation about his health during this summer's World Cup, the Messi family issued a statement saying he was dealing with a "health-related situation" but did not disclose the nature of his condition.
From BBC ● Aug. 8, 2026
The Journal was unable to identify more recent ratings, but ratings firms are only required to disclose actions a year after making them, and many raters don’t disclose private ratings at all.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 7, 2026
They are afraid to disclose their names, ages, or place of birth.
From "Escape from Camp 14: One Man's Remarkable Odyssey from North Korea to Freedom in the West" by Blaine Harden
The WOW-funded campaign directly discloses that they oppose the billboard blight ballot initiative in financial filings with the California secretary of state.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 9, 2026
"It was a green tea," the singer discloses.
From BBC ● May 27, 2026
Disney no longer discloses its streaming subscriber totals.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 6, 2026
Not all of the insider trades he discloses are buys and sales that pay him cash, however.
From MarketWatch ● Apr. 3, 2026
The record, however, discloses Alvarez’s testimony to be an ill-disguised act of score settling.
From "Big Science" by Michael Hiltzik
Brittan said she had previously been offered compensation for another data breach by the Met, after they disclosed sensitive information about her first police interview by mistake to two people in Australia.
From BBC ● Aug. 15, 2026
During his 2012 presidential campaign, Mitt Romney disclosed that his IRA held as much as $101 million.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 14, 2026
Berkshire disclosed its April-through-June stockholdings in a regulatory filing late Friday.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 14, 2026
It isn’t against parliamentary rules or the law to receive large donations but the money must be disclosed so voters can know who is funding their candidates.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 13, 2026
I disclosed no such Suspicion, but said to him simply, “Slavery & Subjugation shall soon enough fall away, sir.”
From "The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, Traitor to the Nation, Volume I: The Pox Party" by M.T. Anderson
"I was hoping it would be a quick recovery, but it was more complicated than they expected," she told fans, external, without disclosing the nature of the procedure.
From BBC ● Aug. 12, 2026
The company left unchanged its profit forecast for the year, disclosing that it would reinvest its recent outperformance back into the business.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 24, 2026
Earlier this month, India said it believed usernames might increase online fraud, impersonation and other crimes by allowing criminals to contact potential victims without disclosing their phone numbers.
From BBC ● Jul. 21, 2026
IBM shares plunged 25% after the company issued a rare warning disclosing disappointing second-quarter results.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 16, 2026
He gave their address directly to the bookseller and then wrote them a letter of apology for disclosing their address.
From "Endgame" by Frank Brady
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
