unveil
Americanverb (used with object)
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unveils,
present (3rd person singular)
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unveiled,
past participle, past
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unveiling
present participle
verb (used without object)
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unveils,
present (3rd person singular)
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unveiled,
past participle, past
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unveiling
present participle
verb
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(tr) to remove the cover or shroud from, esp in the ceremonial unveiling of a monument, etc
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to remove the veil from (one's own or another person's face)
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(tr) to make (something secret or concealed) known or public; divulge; reveal
Usage
What does unveil mean? Unveil means to reveal or uncover something. This can be literal, such as by taking a veil or other physical covering off of something, as in The sculptor tugged the sheet away to unveil her masterpiece. It can also be used figuratively—often in a way that likens the action to physically uncovering something. In this sense, it can mean to present something publicly for the first time, as in They plan to unveil the new model at the convention next month. Or it can mean to uncover something that has been kept secret or hidden, as in Her investigative reporting unveiled a conspiracy. Things that have been revealed can be described with the adjective unveiled, as in Here are the first photos of the newly unveiled design concept. The noun unveiling can refer to an event where this happens, or the act of doing it, as in The plans will be revealed at the big unveiling next week. Example: The company unveiled its new phone design last week after months of speculation.
Other Word Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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unveilsimple
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unveilssimple
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have unveiledperfect
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has unveiledperfect
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am unveilingprogressive
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are unveilingprogressive
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is unveilingprogressive
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have been unveilingperfect progressive
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has been unveilingperfect progressive
Past
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unveiledsimple
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had unveiledperfect
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was unveilingprogressive
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were unveilingprogressive
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had been unveilingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of unveil
Explanation
Unveil is a dramatic verb we use when we uncover or reveal something for the first time, often in front of a large gathering or as part of a publicity campaign. A city's mayor might unveil a new monument by removing an actual veil (cloth covering) from it. This is often done with great flourish and accompanied by a drum roll. In a more metaphorical sense, a software company might unveil — that is, publicly announce — a new video game or business application.
Vocabulary lists containing unveil
The Watsons Go to Birmingham
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This Week In Words: Current Events Vocab for September 19–25, 2020
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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:
On Thursday, OpenAI became the latest AI giant to unveil a broad commitment governing how it approaches building new data centers.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 6, 2026
Britain's finance minister John Healey will unveil his first budget Wednesday, as he juggles commitments to defence spending and easing household bills with little financial room to manoeuvre.
From Barron's ● Oct. 28, 2026
City officials say Mamdani expects to unveil a dedicated plan by the end of the year.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 26, 2026
The company was once expected to publicly unveil its IPO prospectus shortly after Labor Day, which could have set the stage for it to list later in September.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 23, 2026
Soon the LEP would have no option but to launch their bio-bomb, and that was when Artemis Fowl would unveil his coup de grâce.
From "Artemis Fowl" by Eoin Colfer
Chancellor John Healey is due to set out the government's tax and spending plans when he unveils the Budget later today.
From BBC ● Oct. 28, 2026
Walmart seems to be targeting Amazon.com and Costco Wholesale as it unveils a new membership bundle, but some analysts wonder if the subscription package will actually translate into meaningful benefits for customers.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 20, 2026
Tesla jumps after the EV maker unveils its new Roadster sports car, but CoreWeave slides as AI jitters carry on spooking the market.
From Barron's ● Oct. 16, 2026
Plus, British counterterrorism police release suspects in terror plot at base hosting U.S. forces and Trump unveils $15 billion Iowa steel project.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 29, 2026
Dr. Bigelow unveils his plaster life mask of Phineas.
From "Phineas Gage" by John Fleischman
When the Cybertruck was unveiled in 2019, Musk said it would be priced between $39,900 and $69,900.
From MarketWatch ● Nov. 6, 2026
The following week, the company unveiled a plan to raise up to $97.5 billion through a series of new stock offerings.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 5, 2026
The Paving the Way stone will be unveiled on 18 November at her former school, Queens Park Community College in Queen's Park, north-west London.
From BBC ● Nov. 5, 2026
The IRS unveiled its updates for 2027 on Thursday.
From MarketWatch ● Nov. 5, 2026
Reacting to pressure to hire more blacks, the Durham Merchants Association, unveiled in February 1968 an ambitious program to train fifteen young blacks for business positions.
From "The Best of Enemies" by Osha Gray Davidson
The unveiling of the Tesla Roadster last week - a futuristic electric car powered by SpaceX rocket thrusters - served as a "symbolic embodiment" hinting at the two Musk companies merging, Nicholson said.
From BBC ● Oct. 21, 2026
Before unveiling the sculpture, he watched the pupils perform the Aberfan Song and well-known children's song Everyone Belongs.
From BBC ● Oct. 21, 2026
I mean, it’s not like I’m unveiling a top secret.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 19, 2026
At an unveiling in Salt Lake City in December 2016, Milton had declared the Nikola One prototype fully functional.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 18, 2026
Since the unveiling of the bill, there had been phone calls and mail and huge editorials about invasion of privacy and people’s differing definitions of what a “threat” to society actually was.
From "Time Bomb" by Joelle Charbonneau
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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.
