unveil
Americanverb (used with object)
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unveils,
present (3rd person singular)
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unveiled,
past participle, past
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unveiling
present participle
verb (used without object)
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unveils,
present (3rd person singular)
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unveiled,
past participle, past
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unveiling
present participle
verb
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(tr) to remove the cover or shroud from, esp in the ceremonial unveiling of a monument, etc
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to remove the veil from (one's own or another person's face)
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(tr) to make (something secret or concealed) known or public; divulge; reveal
Usage
What does unveil mean? Unveil means to reveal or uncover something. This can be literal, such as by taking a veil or other physical covering off of something, as in The sculptor tugged the sheet away to unveil her masterpiece. It can also be used figuratively—often in a way that likens the action to physically uncovering something. In this sense, it can mean to present something publicly for the first time, as in They plan to unveil the new model at the convention next month. Or it can mean to uncover something that has been kept secret or hidden, as in Her investigative reporting unveiled a conspiracy. Things that have been revealed can be described with the adjective unveiled, as in Here are the first photos of the newly unveiled design concept. The noun unveiling can refer to an event where this happens, or the act of doing it, as in The plans will be revealed at the big unveiling next week. Example: The company unveiled its new phone design last week after months of speculation.
Other Word Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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unveilsimple
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unveilssimple
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have unveiledperfect
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has unveiledperfect
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am unveilingprogressive
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are unveilingprogressive
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is unveilingprogressive
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have been unveilingperfect progressive
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has been unveilingperfect progressive
Past
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unveiledsimple
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had unveiledperfect
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was unveilingprogressive
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were unveilingprogressive
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had been unveilingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of unveil
Explanation
Unveil is a dramatic verb we use when we uncover or reveal something for the first time, often in front of a large gathering or as part of a publicity campaign. A city's mayor might unveil a new monument by removing an actual veil (cloth covering) from it. This is often done with great flourish and accompanied by a drum roll. In a more metaphorical sense, a software company might unveil — that is, publicly announce — a new video game or business application.
Vocabulary lists containing unveil
The Watsons Go to Birmingham
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100 SAT Words Beginning with "U"
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This Week In Words: Current Events Vocab for September 19–25, 2020
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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.
See Examples For:
As trial approaches, Mangione's team has yet to unveil its full strategy.
From BBC ● Aug. 11, 2026
“I know you are impatient,” Kennedy said Monday to Trump at the Oval Office event to unveil the executive order.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 10, 2026
Ferguson in May reported first-quarter sales of $7.5 billion, and analysts polled by FactSet expect the distributor to unveil sales of $8.7 billion when it reports second-quarter results next month.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 31, 2026
Attention now turns to Apple's September event and whether it will finally unveil its long-anticipated move into foldables.
From Barron's ● Jul. 22, 2026
Although the wait is killing Uncle Al, August doesn’t want to unveil her act until it’s perfect.
From "Water for Elephants" by Sara Gruen
Another reshuffled cabinet minister, Wes Streeting, unveils his promise to "quit if defence plan falls short" as he takes on the post of defence secretary, the Daily Mail writes.
From BBC ● Jul. 26, 2026
Mount Vernon’s newly renovated Education Center unveils an illuminating exhibition on the nation’s first leader.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 25, 2026
As World Cup matches are played in L.A., the holocaust museum unveils an exhibition that explores how World War II upheaval altered global soccer.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 15, 2026
Microsoft unveils seven new AI models at its Build conference, competing with OpenAI and Anthropic after ending their exclusive partnership.
From Barron's ● Jun. 3, 2026
Dr. Bigelow unveils his plaster life mask of Phineas.
From "Phineas Gage" by John Fleischman
Charter’s acquisition of Cox, unveiled 15 months ago, will solidify Charter’s status as the nation’s largest cable company, eclipsing Philadelphia-based Comcast Corp., which serves San Francisco and other Northern California communities.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 14, 2026
The proposed regulations unveiled this week “really clarifies a lot of what employers were waiting for,” said Dorian Smith, leader of Mercer’s law and policy practice.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 14, 2026
Who else sees “Instagzam”? Instagram unveiled its first brand refresh in a decade, swapping its classic cursive wordmark for a hybrid script that is drawing mixed reactions online.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 14, 2026
The company unveiled the service, called Truth API, in mid-July and said it would deliver posts from Trump and other high-profile accounts in milliseconds.
From BBC ● Aug. 12, 2026
Selena’s brother carried his wound slightly forward from his chest and unveiled it for Ginnie’s benefit.
From "Nine Stories" by J. D. Salinger
—Asian equity markets were mixed as investors weighed signs of cooling U.S. inflation against President Trump’s unveiling of new tariffs on imports of drones and their components.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 14, 2026
Andy Burnham told the inaugural meeting of his cabinet Tuesday that he would lead a "cost-of-living government", after unveiling an energy tax cut on his first full day as prime minister.
From Barron's ● Jul. 21, 2026
On Sunday, survivors and relatives of the victims gathered in Oslo for the unveiling of a large artwork showing a bird native to Utoeya island.
From BBC ● Jul. 20, 2026
Late last night, the park indefinitely delayed its public unveiling, with a spokesperson citing additional fine-tuning that surfaced during its final days of testing.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 17, 2026
Journalism gave me another tool of exploration, another way of unveiling the laws that bound my body.
From "Between the World and Me" by Ta-Nehisi Coates
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.
