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revealing

revealing

38 4.0
Showing information or parts that were hidden before
  • adjective
  • /rɪˈviːlɪŋ/
translation icon : revelador
  • To me, the expression that she ends the scene in is so revealing, this little smile that she has.
  • most revealing
  • more revealing
  • particularly revealing

Now his answer was it was very revealing, he said.

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Examples

  • Alex looks back; that was more personally revealing than she expected.

    Fiction book (2000)
  • Following are some of the more revealing and well-thought-out questions my students posed.

    Academic text (1992)
  • And then finally this sort of revealing truth comes out.

  • And the current crisis is revealing that picture to us.

  • There had not been a voice like that - so personal, so revealing.

  • I think it's rather revealing.

  • Still, let me present another and more revealing reason for the end of ideology in the West.

    Academic text (1991)
  • From the perspective of a system of free expression, cable television is a revealing case study.

    Academic text (1997)
  • In sum, the familiar and simple student-evaluation questionnaire is a revealing window into how a university operates.

    Academic text (1993)
  • The documentary offered a revealing look at the lives of the city's homeless population.

Synonyms

to reveal
vsrevealing
2.3

Show something that was hidden or secret

is the adjectival or ongoing form used to show that action
to discover
vsrevealing
478 1.0

To make secret information known to other people

is used for telling others, while this often implies first finding
to expose
vsrevealing
342 4.1

Reveal hidden facts or bad actions to people

is the general act without the stronger idea of forcing it into view
to uncover
vsrevealing
243 3.5

Reveal secret facts to the public

is the general act and may not stress public disclosure
to leak
vsrevealing
219 4.1

To tell secret information to the public without permission

is the broad act and does not necessarily imply unauthorized release
to give away
vsrevealing
114 3.4

Tell a secret on purpose or by accident

is the general act without specifying intention
to unveil
vsrevealing
109 4.1

To make something known for the first time

is the general act, not only used for first presentations
to betray
vsrevealing
60 4.2

To show a feeling or secret without meaning to

is deliberately making information known rather than accidental outward signs
to tell all
vsrevealing
  • Literature
47 5.6

Say all private things about a person or event

is the general act that may not mean complete disclosure
to divulge
vsrevealing
45 6.2

To tell secret or private information to people

is the general term in everyday use while this sounds more formal
to let on
vsrevealing
  • Informal
43 6.0

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

is neutral about intention and can be accidental rather than deliberate
to let out
vsrevealing
32 3.7

Tell secret or private information to other people

is the general act and may be intentional rather than accidental
to bring to light
vsrevealing
20 3.7

To show facts that were hidden before

is the broad act while this stresses public disclosure of facts
to spill the beans
vsrevealing
  • Informal
18 6.0

Tell a secret by accident before others know

is the general act that can be planned, not only accidental telling
to bring out
vsrevealing
8 3.7

Make secret information known to the public

is more general and not limited to public announcement
to disclose
vsrevealing
7 4.0

Make something visible by removing a cover

is the general act rather than the physical method used to show it
to let slip
vsrevealing
5 5.6

Accidentally tell someone something you want to keep secret

is the general act and can be deliberate rather than accidental
to let the cat out of the bag
vsrevealing
  • Informal
5 5.1

To tell a secret that should be kept

is the general action and may be planned rather than accidental
to lift the veil
vsrevealing
4 7.1

To reveal information that was previously hidden

is the simple act rather than this figurative dramatic expression
to unwrap
vsrevealing
2 4.4

To tell people about something secret

is the general act rather than the presentation image used here
to out
vsrevealing
  • Informal
2 7.7

Reveal a secret or someone's identity

is the general act and not limited to exposing identity
to lay bare
vsrevealing
2 5.5

To show something hidden so people can see it

is the general act and may be less complete than this open exposure
to blow the surprise
vsrevealing
  • Informal
1 6.5

Tell a secret and spoil a planned surprise

is the general form of making known, not only about surprises
to unbury
vsrevealing
1 6.5

To reveal something hidden or forgotten

is general making known while this often implies recovery of forgotten items
to give the game away
vsrevealing
1 5.5

To tell a secret by accident and spoil a surprise

is the general act, not focused on spoiling plans by accident
to uncloak
vsrevealing
1 7.7

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

is the general act, not the physical image of removing a cover
to blab out
vsrevealing
  • Informal
1 7.9

To tell a secret carelessly or without meaning to

is the general act and can be careful or controlled rather than careless
1 9.1

To openly say something people usually keep secret

is the general act, not this blunt public statement of motives

Antonyms

201 2.7

Being where other people cannot find you to stay safe

1 5.3

An act of hiding something so people do not know about it

How Revealing

incriminating
41 7.2
revealing
38 4.0

Surface Forms

revealing positive
revealer comparative
revealingest superlative

Morphology

revealing = reveal (transparent) = reveal + ing

The adjective is directly formed from the verb 'reveal' with the standard '-ing' participial/adjectival suffix, so the meaning 'making or showing' is predictable.

Etymology

Revealing comes from the Latin revelare, which meant 'to uncover' and is linked to the idea of a veil ('cover'), so imagine lifting a veil to show what was hidden. So, something revealing makes information or a part of a person visible.