Revealing — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

adjective verb /ri-ˈvē-liŋ/ re·veal·ing

Meaning & Definition of Revealing

Revealing (adjective)

  1. allowing a look at or an understanding of something inner or hidden; also, tending to expose more typically hidden parts of the body

Revealing (adjective) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. clearly conveying a special meaning (as one's mood)

    "the pundit's comments were particularly revealing and exposed some of his more distasteful prejudices"

    similar: eloquent, expressive, meaning, meaningful, pregnant, revelatory, significant, suggestive
    related: graphic, pictorial, vivid, evocative, redolent, reminiscent, sententious, weighty, flavorful, full-bodied, rich
    opposite: blank, deadpan, expresionless, inexpressive, unexpressive, vacant

Revealing (verb) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. to make known (as information previously kept secret)

    "at the end of the book, the detective reveals the identity of the mysterious stranger"

    similar: baring, disclosing, discovering, divulging, exposing, letting on (about), spilling, telling, unbosoming, uncloaking, uncovering, unmasking, unveiling, bringing to light, going public (with), letting the cat out of the bag (about), spilling the beans (about)
    related: confiding, sharing, debunking, showing up, unclothing, undraping, advertising, announcing, blazing, bringing out, broadcasting, declaring, placarding, posting, proclaiming, promulgating, publicizing, publishing, sounding, betraying, blabbing, giving away, leaking, informing, squealing, talking, communicating, imparting, relating, acknowledging, admitting, avowing, conceding, confessing, owning, disinterring, raking up, smoking out, unearthing
    opposite: cloaking, concealing, covering (up), enshrouding, hiding, masking, shrouding, veiling
    near: camouflaging, disguising, gilding, glossing (over), varnishing, whitewashing, beclouding, bedimming, befogging, clouding, darkening, eclipsing, obscuring, overcasting, overshadowing, shading

  2. to make known (something abstract) through outward signs

    "a habitual smirk that reveals his contempt for other people"

    similar: bespeaking, betraying, communicating, declaring, demonstrating, displaying, evincing, exposing, giving away, manifesting, showing
    related: baring, disclosing, unbosoming, uncloaking, uncovering, advertising, airing, announcing, blazing, broadcasting, placarding, proclaiming, publicizing, sounding, trumpeting, projecting
    near: belying, misrepresenting, distorting, falsifying, garbling, twisting, camouflaging, disguising, gilding, glossing (over), varnishing, whitewashing, concealing, counterfeiting, covering, hiding, masking, obscuring, occluding, veiling

Related Entry: Reveal (verb)

Reveal is a different word from Revealing. The synonyms below are for reveal, not for revealing.

  1. to make known (as information previously kept secret)

    "at the end of the book, the detective reveals the identity of the mysterious stranger"

    similar: bare, disclose, discover, divulge, expose, let on (about), spill, tell, unbosom, uncloak, uncover, unmask, unveil, bring to light, go public (with), let the cat out of the bag (about), spill the beans (about)
    related: confide, share, debunk, show up, unclothe, undrape, advertise, announce, blaze, bring out, broadcast, declare, placard, post, proclaim, promulgate, publicize, publish, sound, betray, blab, give away, leak, inform, squeal, talk, communicate, impart, relate, acknowledge, admit, avow, concede, confess, own, disinter, rake up, smoke out, unearth
    opposite: cloak, conceal, cover (up), enshroud, hide, mask, shroud, veil
    near: camouflage, disguise, gild, gloss (over), varnish, whitewash, becloud, bedim, befog, cloud, darken, eclipse, obscure, overcast, overshadow, shade

  2. to make known (something abstract) through outward signs

    "a habitual smirk that reveals his contempt for other people"

    similar: bespeak, betray, communicate, declare, demonstrate, display, evince, expose, give away, manifest, show
    related: bare, disclose, unbosom, uncloak, uncover, advertise, air, announce, blaze, broadcast, placard, proclaim, publicize, sound, trumpet, project
    near: belie, misrepresent, distort, falsify, garble, twist, camouflage, disguise, gild, gloss (over), varnish, whitewash, conceal, counterfeit, cover, hide, mask, obscure, occlude, veil

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Revealing

The most common words with a similar meaning to Revealing:

eloquent, expressive, meaning, meaningful, pregnant, revelatory, significant, suggestive, baring, disclosing, discovering, divulging, exposing, letting on (about), spilling, telling, unbosoming, uncloaking, uncovering, unmasking, unveiling, bespeaking, betraying, communicating, declaring, demonstrating, displaying, evincing, giving away, manifesting, showing, bringing to light, going public (with), letting the cat out of the bag (about), spilling the beans (about)

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Revealing

Words with the opposite meaning of Revealing:

blank, deadpan, expresionless, inexpressive, unexpressive, vacant, cloaking, concealing, covering (up), enshrouding, hiding, masking, shrouding, veiling

Related Words for Revealing

graphic, pictorial, vivid, evocative, redolent, reminiscent, sententious, weighty, flavorful, full-bodied, rich, confiding, sharing, debunking, showing up, unclothing, undraping, advertising, announcing, blazing, bringing out, broadcasting, placarding, posting, proclaiming, promulgating, publicizing, publishing, sounding, blabbing

Near Antonyms of Revealing

camouflaging, disguising, gilding, glossing (over), varnishing, whitewashing, beclouding, bedimming, befogging, clouding, darkening, eclipsing, obscuring, overcasting, overshadowing, shading, belying, misrepresenting, distorting, falsifying, garbling, twisting, counterfeiting, covering, occluding

Word Forms of Revealing

Derived words: revealingly (adverb)

Origin & Etymology of Revealing

First known use: circa 1925

Words & Phrases Containing Revealing

self-revealing

Frequently Asked Questions about Revealing

What does "Revealing" mean?

"Revealing" means allowing a look at or an understanding of something inner or hidden; also, tending to expose more typically hidden parts of the body. As an an adjective and a verb, it is defined as: allowing a look at or an understanding of something inner or hidden; also, tending to expose more typically hidden parts of the body. It has 3 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Revealing"?

Other words for "Revealing" include eloquent, expressive, meaning, meaningful, pregnant, revelatory, significant and suggestive. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Revealing" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Revealing"?

There are 84 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Revealing". Common alternatives include eloquent, expressive, meaning, meaningful, pregnant, revelatory, significant, suggestive, baring and disclosing.

What is the opposite of "Revealing"?

Antonyms of "Revealing" include blank, deadpan, expresionless, inexpressive, unexpressive, vacant, cloaking and concealing. Near antonyms include camouflaging, disguising, gilding and glossing (over).

How do you use "Revealing" in a sentence?

Examples of "Revealing" in a sentence: "the pundit's comments were particularly revealing and exposed some of his more distasteful prejudices"; "at the end of the book, the detective reveals the identity of the mysterious stranger"; "a habitual smirk that reveals his contempt for other people".

Is "Revealing" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Revealing" can be used as an adjective and a verb, depending on the context.

How do you pronounce "Revealing"?

"Revealing" is pronounced /ri-ˈvē-liŋ/ and divided into syllables as re·veal·ing.

What is the origin of the word "Revealing"?

First known use: circa 1925.