disclosure

American  

[dih-skloh-zher] / dɪˈskloʊ ʒər /

noun

• disclosures
  plural

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

Derived Forms

• nondisclosure
  noun
• predisclosure
  noun
• self-disclosure
  noun

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• disclosures
  plural

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

See Examples For:

disclosure disclosures

The 2025 gifts were reported by Kennedy in his annual financial ethics disclosure, which was amended this week and obtained by The Wall Street Journal through a records request.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 18, 2026

That leaves us with an inquiry into who benefits from its disclosure.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 16, 2026

Lawyers for the families of the two victims questioned why private hearings were necessary for the disclosure of MI5 material, as the authorities had stated publicly that Al-Shamie was not known to security services.

From BBC ● Sep. 14, 2026

It was clear why I was paying the money and the disclosure was made up front — not after the fact.

From MarketWatch ● Sep. 11, 2026

Full disclosure: I’m not used to girls not paying me any attention, and it’s bothering me a lot that Rae’s into Jupe instead of me.

From "Odd One Out" by Nic Stone

The insurer backing one of his contracts, Clear Spring Life and Annuity, revealed this summer that federal prosecutors are scrutinizing its investment disclosures.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 14, 2026

While concerns over AI safety are not likely to derail Anthropic’s IPO plans, experts expect more regulation and safety disclosures.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 11, 2026

On Monday, a Forbes report analyzed the justice’s newly released 2025 financial disclosures, which reveal a stock portfolio chock-full of investments in the oil, gas and energy sectors.

From Salon ● Sep. 5, 2026

A separate Public Citizen complaint alleges that neither Presler nor his affiliated super PAC registered lobbying disclosures for activity promoting the measure on Capitol Hill.

From Salon ● Aug. 27, 2026

The penalties for violating security regulations covering information judged to be sensitive had a distinctly militaristic cast, with fines of up to $300,000 and jail terms as long as thirty years for “willful” disclosures.

From "Big Science" by Michael Hiltzik

Related Words

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