expose
verb (used with object)
to lay open to danger, attack, harm, etc..
expose
1 American
[ik-spohz]
/ ɪkˈspoʊz /
verb (used with object)
-
exposes,
present (3rd person singular)
-
exposed,
past participle, past
-
exposing
present participle
-
to lay open to danger, attack, harm, etc..
to expose soldiers to gunfire;
to expose one's character to attack.
- Synonyms:
- jeopardize, imperil, endanger, subject
-
to lay open to something specified.
to expose oneself to the influence of bad companions.
-
to uncover or bare to the air, cold, etc..
to expose one's head to the rain.
-
to present to view; exhibit; display.
The storekeeper exposed his wares.
-
to make known, disclose, or reveal (intentions, secrets, etc.).
-
to reveal or unmask (a crime, fraud, impostor, etc.).
to expose a swindler.
-
to hold up to public reprehension or ridicule (fault, folly, a foolish act or person, etc.).
-
to desert in an unsheltered or open place; abandon, as a child.
-
to subject, as to the action of something.
to expose a photographic plate to light.
idioms
exposé
2
American
[ek-spoh-zay]
/ ˌɛk spoʊˈzeɪ /
noun
expose
1
British
/ ɪkˈspəʊz /
verb
-
to display for viewing; exhibit
-
to bring to public notice; disclose; reveal
to expose the facts
-
to divulge the identity of; unmask
-
(foll by to) to make subject or susceptible (to attack, criticism, etc)
-
to abandon (a child, animal, etc) in the open to die
-
(foll by to) to introduce (to) or acquaint (with)
he was exposed to the classics at an early age
-
photog to subject (a photographic film or plate) to light, X-rays, or some other type of actinic radiation
-
RC Church to exhibit (the consecrated Eucharistic Host or a relic) for public veneration
-
to display one's sexual organs in public
exposé
2
British
/ ɛksˈpəʊzeɪ /
noun
-
the act or an instance of bringing a scandal, crime, etc, to public notice
-
an article, book, or statement that discloses a scandal, crime, etc
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
-
exposabilitynoun
-
exposalnoun
-
exposernoun
-
exposableadjective
-
self-exposingadjective
-
unexposableadjective
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
exposesimple
-
exposessimple
-
have exposedperfect
-
has exposedperfect
-
am exposingprogressive
-
are exposingprogressive
-
is exposingprogressive
-
have been exposingperfect progressive
-
has been exposingperfect progressive
Past
-
exposedsimple
-
had exposedperfect
-
was exposingprogressive
-
were exposingprogressive
-
had been exposingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of expose1
First recorded in 1425–75; late Middle English exposen, from Old French exposer, equivalent to ex- ex- 1 + poser “to put” ( see pose 1), replacing Latin expōnere “to put out, expose, set forth in words”; see expound
Origin of exposé2
First recorded in 1795–1805; from French, noun use of past participle of exposer expose
Explanation
To expose means to uncover or allow to be in the open air. If you take off your coat and expose your bare arms to the terrible cold, your tattoos might freeze off. (Note: We don’t actually know if this is physically possible.) When you pronounce expose as it’s spelled, it can mean to leave out in the air, to put in peril (when you expose someone to danger), or to uncover. All of those examples are actions. However, when you pronounce it as though there is a French accent on the final "e," ex-poh-ZAY, it means the unmasking or exposure of something hidden (and usually bad or fraudulent), as when you watch an expose on 60 Minutes about the evils of frozen orange juice or some other toxic substance.
Vocabulary lists containing expose
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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:
The committee does not have the power to sanction the mayor but it can investigate, require answers, expose problems and challenge decisions.
From BBC ● Oct. 16, 2026
“In almost every case, it’d be better to avoid the surgery than to expose the patient to the risk of a botched operation.”
From Slate ● Oct. 16, 2026
When a quarterback inks a contract worth hundreds of millions of dollars, the team and the player are suddenly less eager to expose his body to so many hits.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 13, 2026
Some match familiar anatomical structures, while others expose chemical boundaries that previous approaches had overlooked.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 13, 2026
The bed covers and clothing were pulled aside to expose the president's back, including the dressings over his bullet wound and new incision.
From "Ambushed!" by Gail Jarrow
I came in search of an exposé and found a humble tram driver.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 13, 2026
The unions have no answer to her exposé.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 4, 2026
Your morning catch-up: An environmental exposé documentary, what we know about the Netflix-Warner Bros. deal, and more big stories.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 1, 2026
In a 2024 exposé on Bowlero’s rise, Amos Barshad introduced a now-familiar category of villain — the private-equity vulture — as more than the average mercenary buying up distressed properties and selling off their parts.
From Salon ● Jul. 3, 2026
An exposé of Spiritualism appeared in the October 21, 1888, issue of the New York World.
From "American Spirits" by Barb Rosenstock
The disappearance of reflective ice also exposes darker ocean water, which absorbs more solar energy and can accelerate regional warming.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 12, 2026
"It protects the institution and then exposes the whistleblower to extreme retaliation and devastation to their lives and families," he said.
From BBC ● Oct. 5, 2026
The retreating ice exposes Arctic coastlines to waves, worsening coastal erosion and raising risks for coastal communities and infrastructure, the report warned.
From Barron's ● Sep. 30, 2026
This also exposes the bearish case, which investors should not ignore.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 15, 2026
Darwin’s words in The Origin of Species were: Man does not actually produce variability; he only unintentionally exposes organic beings to new conditions of life, and then Nature acts on the organisation, and causes variability.
From "Cosmos" by Carl Sagan
Also exposed was information about student disabilities and student eligibility status for federal programs, such as those available to help students from low-income families.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 17, 2026
The men are dangerously exposed, on the long walk across open ground from their front line positions.
From BBC ● Oct. 16, 2026
Its unusually exposed active site also provides space for the enzyme to interact with polymer chains.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 16, 2026
A small fraction of those assets, around $7 million, are currently exposed to Anthropic, the Comptroller's office told AFP.
From Barron's ● Oct. 15, 2026
I’m dressed in denim shorts and a red T-shirt, and the smooth metal surfaces are a cool shock against my exposed skin.
From "The Sea in Winter" by Christine Day
“When a bank of this size fails to meet its anti-money laundering and sanctions obligations, the consequences extend far beyond its own walls, exposing the entire U.S. financial system to significant illicit finance risks.”
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 14, 2026
In an increasingly digital world, players are more accessible than ever through social media, bringing them closer to fans but also exposing them to online harassment and abuse.
From BBC ● Oct. 12, 2026
"We note with concern that not everyone has heeded these warnings, and that individuals are knowingly exposing themselves to mortal danger," the Russian foreign ministry said in a statement.
From Barron's ● Oct. 3, 2026
It’s not merely that security breaches exposing the personal information of up to hundreds of millions of people have become almost daily occurrences.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 2, 2026
Hoover's FBI men stealthily scoured the nation for Soviet spies; the FBI director was not eager to risk tipping off his suspects by exposing Bentley as a defector.
From "Spies: The Secret Showdown Between America and Russia" by Marc Favreau
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
