- present participle of reveal.
revealing
Americanadjective
-
eye-opening or enlightening; disclosing much.
-
(of a garment) showing areas of the body that are usually kept covered.
adjective
-
of significance or import
a very revealing experience
-
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.
That makes cost per useful completed task more revealing than cost per token alone.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 16, 2026
“Go to sleep,” he texted her, revealing nothing about his plans.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 16, 2026
Rockstar has released a new launch trailer for Grand Theft Auto VI, revealing more details about what is set to be the biggest game of the year.
From BBC ● Oct. 15, 2026
By revealing chemical steps that simpler models might miss, the technique offers scientists a more complete picture of complex catalytic reactions and new opportunities to improve processes used to produce fuels and chemicals.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 14, 2026
Barrels of tea were dragged across the deck of the ship, laid on their sides and hacked at with the crude hatchets until they cracked open like eggs, revealing the rich dark tea inside.
From "Glitch" by Laura Martin
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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.
