unveiled
Americanadjective
-
not hidden by a veil or other covering; bare.
-
revealed to public knowledge or scrutiny; made evident or manifest.
the unveiled purpose of their wicked plan.
Usage
What does unveiled mean? Unveiled is an adjective that means revealed or uncovered. It comes from the past tense of the verb unveil. It can be used literally, describing something from which a veil or other physical covering has been taken off, as in The photographers gathered around the unveiled sculpture. It can also be used figuratively—often in a way that likens the thing it describes to something that has been physically uncovered. In its figurative sense, it can describe something that has been presented publicly for the first time, as in The newly unveiled model generated a lot of buzz at the convention. Or it can describe something that has been uncovered after having been kept secret or hidden, as in The now fully unveiled scandal has led to several resignations. Unveiled is especially used with words like newly, freshly, and recently. Example: The newly unveiled phone design has put all the speculation to rest.
Etymology
Origin of unveiled
1600–10; unveiled ( def. 1 ) un- 1 + veiled; unveiled ( def. 2 ) unveil + -ed 2
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.
That was the same day Roberts unveiled another bit of brilliant PR, claiming that he would be a humble judge, comparing the job with that of a baseball umpire.
From Slate • May 7, 2026
And last month he unveiled his production of “Death of a Salesman,” perhaps the most anticipated opening in the April crush before the Tony Award eligibility cut-off date.
From Los Angeles Times • May 6, 2026
The company also unveiled a $1.5 billion joint venture with Wall Street firms to sell AI tools to companies—including those backed by private equity.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 5, 2026
Apple unveiled the updates to its operating system in March.
From BBC • May 5, 2026
At night a tremendous mass meeting was held in the Auditorium, where a bronze tablet which had been inscribed to her memory was unveiled.
From "Harriet Tubman: Conductor on the Underground Railroad" by Ann Petry
![]()
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.