reveal

Word family

• revelation
  nounC1
• revealing
  adjectiveC1
• revealed
  adjectiveB2
• unrevealed
  adjectiveC2

Synonym discussion

Sense: verb/1

Reveal, disclose, divulge, uncover, and expose all involve making something known, but differ in tone and context. Reveal is the most general and works for secrets, facts, or simply showing what was hidden. Disclose is more formal and is common in legal or business settings ('The company disclosed its financial records'). Divulge implies sharing private or confidential information that was entrusted to you, often with a sense of breaking trust. Uncover suggests discovering something hidden through investigation ('The journalist uncovered evidence of corruption'). Expose carries the strongest negative tone, implying that something shameful or dishonest is brought to light, often to prevent further harm. In everyday conversation, reveal is the safest and most natural choice. A friend might reveal their engagement at dinner, but a reporter would uncover a scandal and then expose wrongdoing.

Common collocations

Etymology

Reveal comes from the Latin word 'revelare', meaning 'to remove a veil or curtain'. It is formed from 're-' (expressing intensive force) and 'velum' (veil, sail, curtain). The word entered English through Old French 'reveler' in the 14th century. The physical sense of uncovering something hidden from sight was the original meaning; the metaphorical sense of making private information known developed later. The noun use for TV programme climaxes emerged in the 20th century with reality and competition shows.