unearth
Americanverb (used with object)
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to dig or get out of the earth; dig up.
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to uncover or bring to light by search, inquiry, etc..
The lawyer unearthed new evidence.
verb
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to dig up out of the earth
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to reveal or discover, esp by exhaustive searching
Etymology
Origin of unearth
First recorded in 1400–50, unearth is from the late Middle English word unerthen. See un- 2, earth
Explanation
To unearth something is to dig it up. You could unearth a coffin, or even a tee shirt buried in the bottom of a drawer. To put something in the earth is to bury it, to unearth it is to take it back out. When digging in the yard you’ll probably unearth creepy-crawlies and, with luck, a lost treasure will surface. To bring anything hidden “into the light” is to unearth it. You can unearth the secret affairs of your lover, you can unearth the lies of a corrupt government, and you may even unearth a child’s secret candy stash from under the mattress.
Vocabulary lists containing unearth
Holes
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"The End and the Beginning," Vocabulary from the poem
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The Autobiography of Malcolm X
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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.
Actors are always trying to research and unearth and unpack to get to that state, but we could walk on set and already have that.”
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 4, 2026
The challenge now is for the academy to unearth and nurture several more like him in the years to come following a period of huge change behind the scenes.
From BBC • Mar. 3, 2026
I do my own taxes, so I’m my own grouchy accountant, barking at myself to unearth various forms.
From MarketWatch • Feb. 17, 2026
Epidarex has sold investors on a strategy that involves investing outside the major life-sciences hubs—places like the U.K. and mid-Atlantic, Southeastern and Midwestern states—an approach designed to unearth gems other venture firms might miss.
From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 12, 2026
“Because they’re trying to dig up the past to put it in display boxes. I’m trying to unearth magic.”
From "The Way to Rio Luna" by Zoraida Cordova
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.
