disclosure

American  

[dih-skloh-zher] / dɪˈskloʊ ʒər /

noun

1. the act or an instance of disclosing; exposure; revelation.

2. that which is disclosed; a revelation.

3. Patent Law. (in a patent application) the descriptive information imparted by the specification claims, drawings, and models submitted.

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disclosure British  

/ dɪsˈkləʊʒə /

noun

1. something that is disclosed

2. the act of disclosing; revelation

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Other Word Forms

• nondisclosure
  noun
• predisclosure
  noun
• self-disclosure
  noun

Etymology

Origin of disclosure

First recorded in 1590–1600; disclose + -ure

Compare meaning

How does disclosure compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• disclaimer vs. disclosure

Explanation

If you make a disclosure, you reveal information not previously known — either because it's new information or because it's been kept secret. Disclosure of new evidence at a trial could reveal that the accused is innocent of the crime. The noun disclosure derives from the Old French word desclos, meaning "open, exposed, plain, explicit." If you make a disclosure, you put something out in the open, usually information that was formally secret. After the disclosure of your huge credit card debt, your parents might make you get a job. The disclosure that nicotine is really addictive has motivated many people to quit smoking. The disclosure of one coworker's salary to another could lead to bitter jealousy.

Example Sentences

"We have had no further disclosure of evidence from Argentina via the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office," he said.

From BBC • May 7, 2026

The disclosure of the scuttled partnership came as Snap logged a narrower loss and higher revenue in its latest quarter, during which daily active users ticked up.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 6, 2026

The disclosure Monday that the Justice Department filed the brief came on the same day that California regulators filed an administrative action against State Farm.

From Los Angeles Times • May 6, 2026

Elon Musk will pay $1.5 million for late disclosure of his initial 5% Twitter stake, deemed not an investor-level event.

From Barron's • May 5, 2026

Though the brief exchange over the Mecklenburg Declaration touched on these significant differences of opinion, the diplomatic imperatives of the dialogue ruled out full disclosure.

From "Founding Brothers: The Revolutionary Generation" by Joseph J. Ellis

Related Words

• acknowledgment
• admission
• confession
• discovery
• exposure
• leak
• publication