Skip to main content
to reveal

to reveal

2.3
Show something that was hidden or secret
  • verb
  • /rɪˈviːl/
translation icon : revelar
  • The magician will reveal the secret of his trick at the end of the show.
  • studies reveal
  • an analysis revealed
  • reveal significant differences

What did this catastrophe reveal about my strategy?

Autoplay Next

Examples

  • The narratives related to this process reveal the urgent, heartfelt nature of such efforts.

    Academic text (2017)
  • We're not allowed to reveal what went on that night.

  • How does speech reveal things to us?

  • And obviously not going to ask you to reveal who that source is.

  • Whoa, now it's time to reveal my finished painting.

  • Findings from focus group discussions reveal that all students had access to the Internet.

    Academic text (2015)
  • What did this catastrophe reveal about my strategy?

  • It is time to reveal what I got done.

  • Again, the best villains reveal what the main character needs.

  • Is this the part when you reveal your diabolical plan to kill me?

Synonyms

to break
vsto reveal
  • Literature
3.6

To make news known quickly

is general making known and may not imply suddenness
to discover
vsto reveal
478 1.0

To make secret information known to other people

is broader and does not require the act of finding information
to expose
vsto reveal
342 4.1

Reveal hidden facts or bad actions to people

is the general act without implying scandal or accusation
to uncover
vsto reveal
243 3.5

Reveal secret facts to the public

is the general act not focused only on public disclosure
to leak
vsto reveal
219 4.1

To tell secret information to the public without permission

is the general act not necessarily via unauthorized release
to give away
vsto reveal
114 3.4

Tell a secret on purpose or by accident

is the general act without specifying whether it was intentional
to unveil
vsto reveal
109 4.1

To make something known for the first time

is the general act not only used for first public showing
to divulge
vsto reveal
45 6.2

To tell secret or private information to people

is the general act and may include unintentional or other ways
to let on
vsto reveal
  • Informal
43 6.0

To tell a secret or show feelings you were trying to hide

is the general act not limited to intentional sharing of secrets
to let out
vsto reveal
32 3.7

Tell secret or private information to other people

is the general act not only about sharing among more people
to shine light on
vsto reveal
  • Literature
26 3.9

To show information people do not know

is the general act not focused solely on clarification
to unmask
vsto reveal
23 4.2

Show what someone or something really is

is broader not only about a person's identity or nature
to bring to light
vsto reveal
20 3.7

To show facts that were hidden before

is broader and applies beyond facts to other hidden things
to spill the beans
vsto reveal
  • Informal
18 6.0

Tell a secret by accident before others know

is general making things known not especially by mistake
to bring out
vsto reveal
8 3.7

Make secret information known to the public

is used more generally not only for public announcements
to disclose
vsto reveal
7 4.0

Make something visible by removing a cover

is the basic act of making hidden things become known
to let slip
vsto reveal
5 5.6

Accidentally tell someone something you want to keep secret

is the general act that also covers intentional disclosure
to let the cat out of the bag
vsto reveal
  • Informal
5 5.1

To tell a secret that should be kept

is the general act not focused on accidental slips
to lift the veil
vsto reveal
4 7.1

To reveal information that was previously hidden

is the general act and may be less metaphorical in tone
to lay bare
vsto reveal
2 5.5

To show something hidden so people can see it

is the general act not necessarily complete or fully open
to unwrap
vsto reveal
2 4.4

To tell people about something secret

is the general act not limited to public metaphorical opening
to out
vsto reveal
  • Informal
2 7.7

Reveal a secret or someone's identity

is broader and also covers nonpublic ways of making things known
to blow the surprise
vsto reveal
  • Informal
1 6.5

Tell a secret and spoil a planned surprise

is general making things known not only about spoiling surprises
to blow wide open
vsto reveal
  • Literature
1 6.5

To make a secret suddenly become known

is the general act and may not be sudden or total
to give the game away
vsto reveal
1 5.5

To tell a secret by accident and spoil a surprise

is the general act not specifically about accidental disclosure
to unbury
vsto reveal
1 6.5

To reveal something hidden or forgotten

is the general act not restricted to figurative or forgotten matters
to unhide
vsto reveal
1 4.3

Make something you cannot see appear again

is used more widely to make hidden facts or items known
to uncloak
vsto reveal
1 7.7

To make something hidden become visible by removing a cover or showing the truth

is the general act not limited to removing covers
to unblind
vsto reveal
  • Specialized
1 7.5

Reveal information that was hidden during a study or experiment

is the general act beyond experimental or study contexts
to unconceal
vsto reveal
7.7

To show something that was hidden

is the general act of making hidden things known

Antonyms

282 3.7

To hide something so others cannot see or find it

176 4.8

To stop public protest by force or by people in power

Phrasal Verbs

Tell other people how old you are

Compounds

7 3.8

An event when something surprising and important is made known after waiting

How Revealed

to expose
342 4.1
to disclose
234 4.1
to reveal
2.3
to show
1.0
to hint
136 2.0

Surface Forms

reveal infinitive
revealed past
revealed past participle
revealing present participle
reveals third person singular

Etymology

Reveal comes from the Latin parts re- and velare, where velare means 'to cover' and is like the English word veil. So to reveal something is like taking off a veil to show what was hidden.