revealing

adjective

re·​veal·​ing ri-ˈvē-liŋ 

: allowing a look at or an understanding of something inner or hidden

a revealing confession

also : tending to expose more typically hidden parts of the body

a revealing halter top

revealingly adverb

Synonyms

• eloquent
• expressive
• meaning
• meaningful
• pregnant
• revelatory
• significant
• suggestive

Examples of revealing in a Sentence

The book is a revealing account of being part of a gang.

Her comments about her childhood were revealing.

She wore a very revealing shirt.

That skirt is much too revealing.

Recent Examples on the Web

Trump is demanding that his Justice Department investigate both men, which is a clear abuse of power as well as a revealing example of Trump’s escalation from nasty tweets about his political opponents to unleashing federal prosecutors on them. —Susan B. Glasser, New Yorker, 10 Apr. 2025

Val Kilmer was tremendously candid about his life and career, between a revealing 2020 memoir and an intimate 2021 documentary. —Patrick Ryan, USA Today, 2 Apr. 2025

Like every archival clip Yousef includes in her documentary (culled from thousands of hours of footage found in a company storage locker), these selections are meticulously curated and highly revealing. —Peter Debruge, Variety, 31 Mar. 2025

This set is flattering without being too revealing, and it can easily be styled for casual wear or nice evening dinners. —Genevieve Cepeda, Travel + Leisure, 31 Mar. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1925, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing revealing

• self-revealing

Rhymes for revealing

• annealing
• appealing
• concealing
• congealing
• freewheeling
• repealing
• unfeeling
• ceiling
• dealing
• feeling
• healing
• heeling