reveal
Americanverb (used with object)
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reveals,
present (3rd person singular)
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revealed,
past participle, past
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revealing
present participle
noun
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reveals
plural
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an act or instance of revealing; disclosure.
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an act or instance of showing or revealing something surprising for the first time.
Stay tuned for the renovation's big reveal!
The big reveal of the season was that the main character was the murderer.
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Architecture.
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the part of the jamb of a window or door opening between the outer wall surface and the window or door frame.
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the whole jamb of an opening between the outer and inner surfaces of a wall.
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the framework or edge of an automobile window.
verb
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(may take a clause as object or an infinitive) to disclose (a secret); divulge
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to expose to view or show (something concealed)
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(of God) to disclose (divine truths) either directly or through the medium of prophets, etc
noun
Synonym Usage
Reveal, disclose, divulge share the meaning of making known something previously concealed or secret. To reveal is to uncover as if by drawing away a veil: The fog lifted and revealed the harbor. To disclose is to lay open and thereby invite inspection: to disclose the plans of an organization. To divulge is to communicate, sometimes to a large number of people, what was at first intended to be private, confidential, or secret: to divulge the terms of a contract.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
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revealabilitynoun
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revealablenessnoun
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revealernoun
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revealingnessnoun
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revealmentnoun
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prerevealverb (used with object)
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half-revealedadjective
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nonrevealingadjective
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revealableadjective
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revelativeadjective
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self-revealedadjective
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unrevealableadjective
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unrevealedadjective
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unrevealingadjective
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revealedlyadverb
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revealinglyadverb
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unrevealinglyadverb
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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revealsimple
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revealssimple
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have revealedperfect
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has revealedperfect
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am revealingprogressive
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are revealingprogressive
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is revealingprogressive
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have been revealingperfect progressive
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has been revealingperfect progressive
Past
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revealedsimple
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had revealedperfect
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was revealingprogressive
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were revealingprogressive
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had been revealingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of reveal
First recorded in 1325–75; (verb) Middle English revelen, from Middle French reveler, from Latin revēlāre “to unveil” ( re-, veil ); reveal ( for defs. 4, 5 ) derivative of obsolete revale “to lower,” from Old French revaler ( re- re- + (a)valer “to lower,” verbal derivative of the phrase à val “down”; see vale)
Explanation
When you make something visible or make it public information, you reveal it. For example, if you want to plan a picnic, wait until forecasters reveal the weather that is predicted. The verb reveal comes from the Latin word revelare meaning "unveil," like when you take off your hat to reveal your new haircut, or when you reveal information about your past that will shock or amuse your friends. You might also be familiar with the noun form of reveal, makeover show-speak for the moment viewers see the newly renovated room or someone's dramatic new look, as in saving the reveal for the end of the show so people keep watching.
Vocabulary lists containing reveal
PARCC: Language of the Test (Grade7)
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Jim Burke's Academic Vocabulary List
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The SAT: Language of the Test, List 5
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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 companies are set to reveal the full Phase 3 data for intismeran, a therapeutic cancer vaccine that they tested in patients with melanoma to see if it can prevent the recurrence of the cancer.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 22, 2026
But Luque's defense lawyers said that clinical tests done prior to Maradona's surgery just before his death didn't reveal any heart issues.
From Barron's ● Oct. 21, 2026
Previously unseen footage from a much-loved episode of Only Fools and Horses will reveal more depth and texture to the characters of the classic British sitcom, the maker of a new documentary has said.
From BBC ● Oct. 20, 2026
These 2014 performances reveal the growth, in literal and figurative terms, of the repertoire from the group’s eponymous 2013 release.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 20, 2026
Where were they when the book chose them to reveal its secrets, that it was a treasure map to keys of an enchanted land?
From "The Way to Rio Luna" by Zoraida Cordova
Spoiler warning: This review reveals details from the latest episodes of The Celebrity Traitors, series two.
From BBC ● Oct. 22, 2026
Holmes reveals the reasons behind her wardrobe, which is exclusively black.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 21, 2026
"Our study reveals another important role: it helps cells maintain the energy they need to function properly."
From Science Daily ● Oct. 21, 2026
When he asks Holmes if she understands why “Who’s on First?” is funny, Holmes reveals she didn’t grasp the premise of their gag.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 20, 2026
Rereading the passage a few times reveals that the authors meant similarity.
From "The Sense of Style" by Steven Pinker
On Sept. 1, tech news site The Information published a story that claimed OpenAI’s latest model, Astra, employed a new technique that made it more powerful, but revealed less of its thinking.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 23, 2026
The closure of the Strait of Hormuz revealed the Persian Gulf’s “major role in fertilizer and the inputs that go into fertilizer,” the report notes.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 22, 2026
She also revealed how her condition can lead to awkward encounters, saying she sometimes approaches the wrong people "and give them an almost hug" before realising her mistake.
From BBC ● Oct. 22, 2026
That analysis revealed reports of possible side effects, including menstrual irregularities, that may not have been fully documented in clinical trials or official drug safety records.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 22, 2026
Most interesting of all, he revealed to one of the manhunters that he knew John Wilkes Booth.
From "Chasing Lincoln's Killer" by James L. Swanson
A data breach could affect customers in the future if their personal information is used in so-called "phishing" attacks, where someone is tricked into revealing their password to an online service.
From Barron's ● Oct. 22, 2026
Our reporters pull back the curtain on that decision, revealing the delicate balance between standing up to Washington and preserving its support.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 18, 2026
By revealing how complex alien atmospheres can be understood from faint changes in light, this new approach could help scientists take another step toward answering that question.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 17, 2026
That makes cost per useful completed task more revealing than cost per token alone.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 16, 2026
It was something dropped by a Butterfly to change the future in some way, usually by revealing something that was about to happen so it could be changed.
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.
