unearth
Americanverb (used with object)
-
unearths,
present (3rd person singular)
-
unearthed,
past participle, past
-
unearthing
present participle
-
to dig or get out of the earth; dig up.
-
to uncover or bring to light by search, inquiry, etc..
The lawyer unearthed new evidence.
verb
-
to dig up out of the earth
-
to reveal or discover, esp by exhaustive searching
Other Word Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
unearthsimple
-
unearthssimple
-
have unearthedperfect
-
has unearthedperfect
-
am unearthingprogressive
-
are unearthingprogressive
-
is unearthingprogressive
-
have been unearthingperfect progressive
-
has been unearthingperfect progressive
Past
-
unearthedsimple
-
had unearthedperfect
-
was unearthingprogressive
-
were unearthingprogressive
-
had been unearthingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of unearth
First recorded in 1400–50, unearth is from the late Middle English word unerthen. See un- 2, earth
Explanation
To unearth something is to dig it up. You could unearth a coffin, or even a tee shirt buried in the bottom of a drawer. To put something in the earth is to bury it, to unearth it is to take it back out. When digging in the yard you’ll probably unearth creepy-crawlies and, with luck, a lost treasure will surface. To bring anything hidden “into the light” is to unearth it. You can unearth the secret affairs of your lover, you can unearth the lies of a corrupt government, and you may even unearth a child’s secret candy stash from under the mattress.
Vocabulary lists containing unearth
Holes
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
"The End and the Beginning," Vocabulary from the poem
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
The Autobiography of Malcolm X
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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:
Some customers were still coming by, hoping to unearth a rare gem amid the clothes, records, dishes and other items.
From Barron's ● Aug. 20, 2026
Once we had those clues, we were able to search online archives of leaked computer data and unearth a much larger trove of information on the operation.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 14, 2026
Prince’s shocking death in 2016 gave writers a reason to unearth the shady details of his antagonism toward Michael Jackson.
From Salon ● May 16, 2026
An agreement could unearth more details about the case in the coming weeks, a possibility not lost on the Democrats and Republicans running for governor.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 13, 2026
I put my flat back on and started kicking at the dirt, trying to unearth whatever was under there.
From "Insignificant Events in the Life of a Cactus" by Dusti Bowling
The workplace at the center of “Dig” is an excavation site in Greece, where Poehler’s Elise is among a team of archaeologists that unearths a rare artifact.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 1, 2026
Exactly how Jamestown operates is a closely guarded secret, as it unearths gems where no one else is looking.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 15, 2026
Digging deeper, however, unearths a defensive tenor to Monday’s rally, which was paced by megacap tech, healthcare, and industrial stocks that was paired with a big bid for U.S.
From Barron's ● Mar. 10, 2026
Rory McIlroy unearths a buried ball as he tries to play himself out of trouble on the 11th hole at The Open.
From BBC ● Jul. 19, 2025
From somewhere in the depths of the car our mother unearths a primus stove, which she sets up on the kitchen floor, since there is no table.
From "Cat's Eye" by Margaret Atwood
Many of the specimens confirmed this year were unearthed a decade or more ago, but needed research and verification before being identified.
From Barron's ● Sep. 3, 2026
The builders unearthed the hoard while working on the building's foundations - including an 18-year-old working a summer job.
From BBC ● Aug. 14, 2026
But in recent text messages unearthed by Mother Jones as part of the ongoing custody dispute between Emily Moreno and Miller, Miller does seem to have recently threatened the senator.
From Slate ● Aug. 3, 2026
“I’m so offline these days that I thought I had unearthed some cool legendary West Coast water brand, only to be served an Instagram ad for it later that day,” Roman said.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 29, 2026
By this time Papa had unearthed the box of Christmas decorations from the depths of the hallway closet.
From "The Vanderbeekers of 141st Street" by Karina Yan Glaser
The otherworldly beasts and enigmatic masks of Sanxingdui still enthrall China, decades after the unearthing of ceremonial pits.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 11, 2026
The model’s greatest success was unearthing Claudio Braga, a Portuguese forward who was plying his trade in the Norwegian second division.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 15, 2026
But one live-looped musical is unearthing that hidden history, one beat at a time.
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 16, 2026
The challenge with long-held silver may be unearthing the “cost basis,” or the amount originally paid, in order to determine the profit that is subject to tax, Weltman said.
From MarketWatch ● Dec. 31, 2025
I felt I would be visiting my own genesis, unearthing the roots of what made me an African.
From "Long Walk to Freedom" by Nelson Mandela
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.
