expose
verb (used with object)
to lay open to danger, attack, harm, etc..
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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:
Publishing salary details upfront could "expose unjustified differences in pay, give workers greater confidence to challenge discrimination and prevent disagreements over pay escalating into disputes".
From BBC ● Nov. 5, 2026
Very hot beverages can expose tissues in the mouth and digestive tract to high temperatures, but the study did not establish the biological mechanism behind the observed vascular risk.
From Science Daily ● Nov. 1, 2026
“A conservative allocation of 20% equities and 80% bonds and cash wouldn’t expose the portfolio to too much risk and should allow for a modestly higher return profile,” Katz adds.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 29, 2026
The surprise inclusion of a certain actor and staged reenactments are among the film’s non-conventional elements that expose the tensions between performance, nonfiction and truth.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 28, 2026
She did not want to expose her ineptitude by asking among the nurses or porters.
From "Atonement" by Ian McEwan
I came in search of an exposé and found a humble tram driver.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 13, 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
Before Jon Swaine’s exposé in the Post, it had been well known for years that Gabbard grew up in a cult in Hawaii and has continued to be affiliated with it throughout her life.
From Salon ● Jun. 25, 2026
What this exposé casts a light upon is a much less visible element.
From BBC ● Apr. 16, 2026
All the journalist took from the Louvre was material for an article, an exposé on the museum’s lousy security.
From "The Mona Lisa Vanishes" by Nicholas Day
The crisis exposes a deeper structural problem in Malawi, Tobias said.
From Barron's ● Oct. 30, 2026
"More broadly, the incident exposes the fragility of parts of the crypto ecosystem," she said.
From BBC ● Oct. 30, 2026
Agents act on their own and on behalf of multiple people, which exposes identity systems built around static credentials.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 21, 2026
Passively scrolling through social media feeds or watching one short video after another exposes users to a rapid stream of changing information.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 12, 2026
Christina also persuaded me to purchase a shirt that exposes my shoulders and collarbone, and to line my eyes with black pencil again.
From "Divergent" by Veronica Roth
"Forty-three percent of household wealth is now exposed to the stock market, an increase of 10 percentage points from 2000," said Cavalier.
From Barron's ● Nov. 6, 2026
Vlasenko was more exposed when he ran to fetch supply parcels.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 6, 2026
Bloom is most heavily exposed to data-center end markets and could be more heavily impacted, Dendrinos said.
From MarketWatch ● Nov. 5, 2026
"She was able to identify two workplaces where she might well have been exposed, one of which was the Palace of Westminster."
From BBC ● Nov. 5, 2026
He never understood why AIG FP changed its mind but left itself so exposed.
From "The Big Short" by Michael Lewis
This combination allows researchers to create glass with magnetic or light-emitting characteristics that previously could not be achieved without exposing the material to potentially destructive temperatures.
From Science Daily ● Nov. 5, 2026
In a statement, she said she wanted to thank the BBC "for exposing those who undermine our rules".
From BBC ● Oct. 21, 2026
Jackdaw is unlikely to significantly reduce household energy bills because UK gas prices are largely determined by international markets, exposing them to external shocks.
From Barron's ● Oct. 21, 2026
“As attorney general, I’ve sued some of the largest companies in the world … for taking advantage of our kids by exposing them to dangerous, addictive material,” Paxton said after defeating Cornyn in May.
From Salon ● Oct. 17, 2026
“Tata Ndu,” Mother hinted, “our youngest is burning up with fever. You’re a man of such importance I hope by coming here you aren’t exposing yourself to some dreadful contagion.”
From "The Poisonwood Bible" by Barbara Kingsolver
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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.
