revelation

noun

rev·​e·​la·​tion ˌre-və-ˈlā-shən 

1

a

: an act of revealing or communicating divine truth

b

: something that is revealed by God to humans

2

a

: an act of revealing to view or making known

Revelations by the news outlet caused a scandal.

b

: something that is revealed

especially : an enlightening or astonishing disclosure

shocking revelations

c

: a pleasant often enlightening surprise

her talent was a revelation

3

Revelation : an apocalyptic writing addressed to early Christians of Asia Minor and included as a book in the New Testament

called also Apocalypse

see Bible Table

Synonyms of revelation

• disclosure

Examples of revelation in a Sentence

The book includes many shocking revelations about the mayor's personal life.

The revelation that she was a drug user was not a surprise to me.

Revelations by the newspaper caused a scandal.

Recent Examples on the Web

This candid revelation underscores the personal impact of trade season on veteran players. — Peter Chawaga, Forbes.com, 2 Aug. 2026

But that conviction was dismissed after the revelation that a juror in the trial had not disclosed a domestic violence incident in her own background in order to win a seat on the panel, The Denver Post reports. — Virginia Chamlee, PEOPLE, 1 Aug. 2026

These tunes are both present on the disc of demos, which collectively provides two revelations. — Stephen Thomas Erlewine, Pitchfork, 1 Aug. 2026

Now in the spotlight, the case has stoked outrage and concern in China especially after a tightening of rules in the wake of another scandal – the revelation in 2018 that babies had been born from embryos gene-edited by Chinese scientist He Jiankui. — Simone McCarthy, CNN Money, 31 July 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle English revelacioun, from Anglo-French, from Late Latin revelation-, revelatio, from Latin revelare to reveal

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing revelation

• come as a revelation
• self-revelation

Rhymes for revelation

• abdication
• aberration
• abjuration
• abnegation
• abrogation
• acceptation
• acclamation
• acclimation
• accusation
• activation
• actuation
• acylation

Kids Definition

revelation

1 of 2 noun

rev·​e·​la·​tion ˌrev-ə-ˈlā-shən 

1

: an act of revealing or making known divine truth

2

a

: an act of revealing to view

b

: something that is revealed

especially : a surprising or astonishing disclosure

Revelation

2 of 2 noun

Rev·​e·​la·​tion

ˌrev-ə-ˈlā-shən

: a writing dealing with the end of the world addressed to early Christians of Asia Minor and included as a book in the New Testament see bible