as in discovery
the act or process of sighting or learning the existence of something for the first time
the unearthing of a prehistoric man who had been preserved in an Alpine glacier proved to be a great boon to science
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Recent Examples of unearthing
Jennifer Hauser, CNN Money, 28 Aug. 2025
The trailer also teases the unearthing of Addams family secrets.
—Allison Degrushe Published, EW.com, 15 Aug. 2025
Shirley Li, The Atlantic, 20 Sep. 2025
One researcher claimed authorities could have foiled the attack by unearthing connections between hijackers through public information in databases.
—Sheryl Estrada, Fortune, 9 Sep. 2025
After months of researching public records, unearthing decades-old war documents and interviewing people linked to the safe deposit boxes, the Tribune succeeded in 10 of the 11 cases on the treasurer’s public list — including that of Grabowski.
—Christy Gutowski, Chicago Tribune, 22 Aug. 2025
The most successful professionals operating in this world of corporate enabling functions are masters at unearthing information—connecting the dots between seemingly disparate events and concepts and finding relationships and risks that matter to the business.
—Laura Clayton McDonnell, Forbes.com, 20 Aug. 2025
In 2023, an engineering company dug a series of trenches and boreholes up to 16 feet deep, unearthing a jumble of waste, including tires, plastic bags, timber, polystyrene and canisters.
—Laura Paddison, CNN Money, 15 Aug. 2025
Inspectors went back to the factory in February and August 2018, unearthing more problems.
—Megan Rose, ProPublica, 12 Aug. 2025
The plaintiffs are represented by Judicial Watch, a conservative group known for unearthing government records under the Freedom of Information Act.
—Zach Schonfeld, The Hill, 2 June 2025
Noun
Rochana Redkar, Clinical Fellow in Paediatric Haematology Oncology and Bone Marrow Transplant Unit, was excited to see the unearthing.
—Jennifer Hauser, CNN Money, 28 Aug. 2025
The trailer also teases the unearthing of Addams family secrets.
—Allison Degrushe Published, EW.com, 15 Aug. 2025
Verb
The Norwegian director Joachim Trier, best known for his Oslo trilogy (including the Oscar-nominated The Worst Person in the World, also starring Reinsve), is remarkably adept at unearthing universal truths from hyperspecific characters.
—Shirley Li, The Atlantic, 20 Sep. 2025
One researcher claimed authorities could have foiled the attack by unearthing connections between hijackers through public information in databases.
—Sheryl Estrada, Fortune, 9 Sep. 2025
After months of researching public records, unearthing decades-old war documents and interviewing people linked to the safe deposit boxes, the Tribune succeeded in 10 of the 11 cases on the treasurer’s public list — including that of Grabowski.
—Christy Gutowski, Chicago Tribune, 22 Aug. 2025
The most successful professionals operating in this world of corporate enabling functions are masters at unearthing information—connecting the dots between seemingly disparate events and concepts and finding relationships and risks that matter to the business.
—Laura Clayton McDonnell, Forbes.com, 20 Aug. 2025
In 2023, an engineering company dug a series of trenches and boreholes up to 16 feet deep, unearthing a jumble of waste, including tires, plastic bags, timber, polystyrene and canisters.
—Laura Paddison, CNN Money, 15 Aug. 2025
Inspectors went back to the factory in February and August 2018, unearthing more problems.
—Megan Rose, ProPublica, 12 Aug. 2025
The plaintiffs are represented by Judicial Watch, a conservative group known for unearthing government records under the Freedom of Information Act.
—Zach Schonfeld, The Hill, 2 June 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unearthing
Noun
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The initial financial crimes investigation that led to the discovery of the bodies found that Kraus had been collecting his parents’ social security benefits and using the funds for his own personal use, according to police.—
Stephen Sorace,
FOXNews.com,
28 Sep. 2025
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William Prud’homme, 34, posted his discovery on the r/TheWayWeWere subreddit, a channel dedicated to old photos, scanned documents, articles and anecdotes from the past.—
Daniella Gray,
MSNBC Newsweek,
28 Sep. 2025
Verb
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The notorious murderer was widely known for exhuming human remains and using them as everyday items and clothing.—
Rachel Raposas,
PEOPLE,
15 Sep. 2025
Noun
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The findings of the study have been published in Science Advances.—
Neetika Walter,
Interesting Engineering,
26 Sep. 2025
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The findings highlight a shifting landscape of political violence, marked by growing leftist activity and waning threats from right-wing groups.—
Brendan Rascius,
Miami Herald,
26 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Unearthing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unearthing. Accessed 2 Oct. 2025.
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