Reveal

Meaning

Reveal means to make something known or visible that was previously hidden, secret, or unknown.

Pronunciation

/rɪˈviːl/

Word Forms

• Base form: reveal
• Past tense: revealed
• Past participle: revealed
• Present participle: revealing
• Noun: revelation

Synonyms

Antonyms

Common Collocations

• reveal a secret — to make a secret known.
• reveal the truth — to make the truth known.
• reveal information — to disclose information that was previously unknown.
• reveal a detail — to make a particular detail known or visible.
• reveal one's identity — to make one's identity known.
• reveal the results — to announce or make results known.

Example Sentences

• She refused to reveal the reason for her decision.
• The investigation revealed several important facts.
• He finally revealed his true intentions.
• The letter revealed a secret that had been hidden for years.
• The photograph revealed details that nobody had noticed before.

Literary Example

Example:

“But were the coming narrative to reveal in any instance, the complete abasement of poor Starbuck’s fortitude, scarce might I have the heart to write it...”

— Herman Melville, Moby-Dick; or, The Whale

Here, reveal means to make something previously hidden or unknown known. Melville is saying that if the story were ever to expose a complete collapse of Starbuck's courage, he would hardly have the heart to describe it.

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Related Words

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