revealing
Americanadjective
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eye-opening or enlightening; disclosing much.
-
(of a garment) showing areas of the body that are usually kept covered.
adjective
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of significance or import
a very revealing experience
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showing or designed to show more of the body than is usual or conventional
a revealing costume
Other Word Forms
Explanation
Use the adjective revealing to describe disclosing something that was hidden, either literally or figuratively. If you ask people if they've ever cheated on a test, you may get revealing answers that tell you whether the person is honest or not. Revealing comes from the Latin word revelare, which literally means "unveil," and that word has its roots in re-, meaning "the opposite of," and velare meaning "to cover or veil." It is little wonder that the adjective revealing is often used to describe clothing that leaves little to the imagination. If your daughter's date comes to the door in a revealing shirt with almost every button undone, you might ask him to put on a jacket or else he'll be sure to catch cold.
Vocabulary lists containing revealing
The Invention of Hugo Cabret
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"The Dead and the Gone" Susan Beth Pfeffer, Chapters 11–14
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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.
Dewan later opened the doors to the property, revealing that finding a permanent family home had been particularly meaningful after several years of moving around.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 8, 2026
Dundee’s son, Jamie Dundee, announced his father’s death in a Facebook post, revealing that the wrestling star died at 3:30 a.m.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 7, 2026
In interviews with The Wall Street Journal, Molchanova publicly discussed her ordeal for the first time, revealing that she was the lead Jane Doe plaintiff in a class-action lawsuit against Bank of America.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 5, 2026
The BBC has received documents revealing that Harris County Sheriff's Office, which covers Houston, uses other facial recognition technology, Clearview AI.
From BBC ● Sep. 5, 2026
Shifa blew off the rest, revealing an intricately carved lid.
From "The Boy Who Met a Whale" by Nizrana Farook
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.
