self-revelation

American  

[self-rev-uh-ley-shuhn, self-] / ˈsɛlfˌrɛv əˈleɪ ʃən, ˌsɛlf- /

noun

1. disclosure of one's private feelings, thoughts, etc., especially when unintentional.

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Etymology

Origin of self-revelation

First recorded in 1850–55

Example Sentences

For a memoirist, Mr. Lemann remains ambivalent about self-revelation, eliding his professional accomplishments and any emotional upheavals along the way.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 26, 2026

Instead, he expands literary tradition so that new political ideas, self-revelation and play can thrive.

From New York Times • Apr. 15, 2022

And despite a promise of self-revelation, the author still remains, well, anonymous.

From The Guardian • Dec. 22, 2019

The self-revelation and self-alienation arising from moving images is one of the stories of the era; the syndicate wasn’t where it would be fully explored.

From The New Yorker • Jul. 10, 2019

My mother can easily speak to a priest in a darkened confessional; can easily make an act of self-revelation using the impersonal formula of ritual contrition: ‘Bless me, Father, for I have sinned....’

From "Hunger of Memory" by Richard Rodriguez