uncover
Americanverb (used with object)
-
uncovers,
present (3rd person singular)
-
uncovered,
past participle, past
-
uncovering
present participle
-
to lay bare; disclose; reveal.
-
to remove the cover or covering from.
-
to remove a hat from (the head).
verb (used without object)
-
uncovers,
present (3rd person singular)
-
uncovered,
past participle, past
-
uncovering
present participle
-
to remove a cover or covering.
-
to take off one's hat or other head covering as a gesture of respect.
verb
-
(tr) to remove the cover, cap, top, etc, from
-
(tr) to reveal or disclose
to uncover a plot
-
to take off (one's head covering), esp as a mark of respect
Other Word Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
uncoversimple
-
uncoverssimple
-
have uncoveredperfect
-
has uncoveredperfect
-
am uncoveringprogressive
-
are uncoveringprogressive
-
is uncoveringprogressive
-
have been uncoveringperfect progressive
-
has been uncoveringperfect progressive
Past
-
uncoveredsimple
-
had uncoveredperfect
-
was uncoveringprogressive
-
were uncoveringprogressive
-
had been uncoveringperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of uncover
First recorded in 1250–1300, uncover is from the Middle English word uncoveren. See un- 2, cover
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:
Proposition 38 would authorize the state to issue $8.4 billion in bonds to fund immunology and immunotherapy research to uncover treatments that help the immune system fight diseases such as cancer more effectively.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 1, 2026
Early testers used Argon to uncover a flaw in software used by hospitals around the world that exposed sensitive personal information -- something other advanced models had missed, Google said.
From Barron's ● Sep. 30, 2026
The story of the amateur historian whose research helped uncover the Tuam babies scandal is being brought to the big screen, with the help of actor Liam Neeson.
From BBC ● Sep. 26, 2026
And while there are certainly amateurish or off-putting presentations—and, arguably worse, downright boring ones—there’s plenty to uncover.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 24, 2026
Only with Hamlet's return did Gertrude uncover her face.
From "Ophelia" by Lisa Klein
Josh Baker enters a dangerous world of fear, greed and betrayal as he uncovers what happened in one of the biggest missing-person cases of our time - the abduction of Austin Tice.
From BBC ● Sep. 17, 2026
A WSJ investigation uncovers how North Koreans have scammed their way into remote jobs at U.S. companies.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 15, 2026
In this recent interview, edited for length and clarity, Ellis uncovers key lessons from his long career in investment management.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 29, 2026
Riley’s previous feature, 2018’s “Sorry to Bother You,” was about a telemarketer who uncovers a larger corporate conspiracy.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 20, 2026
The “essential unity of science,” as he described it, means that “an advance of the horizon of knowledge in any direction uncovers territory of all the sciences.”
From "Big Science" by Michael Hiltzik
The newly uncovered lapse took place in 2024 when a longtime researcher in the Fed’s international-finance division, who hasn’t been identified, was retiring.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 28, 2026
The researchers also uncovered evidence of a biological mechanism that could help explain the association.
From Science Daily ● Sep. 27, 2026
In the years since her sentencing, her defence team have uncovered details about her childhood that they say the jury never had the chance to consider.
From BBC ● Sep. 26, 2026
The baby was left uncovered while it was raining.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 26, 2026
She uncovered the food and took a peek before grimacing, as though the sight of the meat nauseated her.
From "Krik? Krak!" by Edwidge Danticat
In signing the bill, Newsom emphasized the role of journalism in uncovering scandal and wrongdoing.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 30, 2026
Dr. Joseph Burgoyne is a cardiovascular scientist at King's College London whose research is uncovering the molecular mechanisms that control the health of the heart and blood vessels.
From Science Daily ● Sep. 28, 2026
And, instead of ruining the game, artificial intelligence is now uncovering new ways of playing.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 26, 2026
Under a makeshift roof offering protection from the monsoon rains, the pair are slowly uncovering the giant neck of a fossil they hope to confirm soon as Thailand's newest dinosaur.
From Barron's ● Sep. 3, 2026
They are . uncovering part of an animal that’s been lost for a hundred million years or more!
From "Linked" by Gordon Korman
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.
