unearth

verb

un·​earth ˌən-ˈərth 

unearthed; unearthing; unearths

transitive verb

1

: to dig up out of or as if out of the earth : exhume

unearth treasure

unearth an old photo album

2

: to make known or public : bring to light

unearth a scandal

Synonyms of unearth

• exhume

Choose the Right Synonym for unearth

discover, ascertain, determine, unearth, learn mean to find out what one did not previously know.

discover may apply to something requiring exploration or investigation or to a chance encounter.

discovered the source of the river

ascertain implies effort to find the facts or the truth proceeding from awareness of ignorance or uncertainty.

attempts to ascertain the population of the region

determine emphasizes the intent to establish the facts definitely or precisely.

unable to determine the origin of the word

unearth implies bringing to light something forgotten or hidden.

unearth old records

learn may imply acquiring knowledge with little effort or conscious intention (as by simply being told) or it may imply study and practice.

I learned her name only today

learning Greek

Examples of unearth in a Sentence

An old document was unearthed from the files.

They unearthed evidence that he had accepted bribes.

Recent Examples on the Web

Battle relic found An iron cannonball that may have played a role in the 1836 Battle of the Alamo was unearthed in Texas this month. — Alexandra Banner, CNN Money, 26 June 2026

Little bits of teeth had a big surprise Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology molecular scientist Palesa Madupe and her colleagues recently analyzed the proteins in dental enamel from 23 Homo naledi teeth unearthed in four different cave chambers deep in the Rising Star system. — ArsTechnica, 25 June 2026

The Plant Humanities Initiative at Dumbarton Oaks seeks to highlight histories like this one, unearthing the mutual influences of humans and the plant world on one another. — The Editors, JSTOR Daily, 25 June 2026

Reher-Langberg said that, over the last three decades, people with metal detectors had unearthed several silver coins in the area. — James Brooks, Fortune, 24 June 2026

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for unearth

• childbirth
• rebirth
• stillbirth
• tamworth
• afterbirth
• berth
• birth
• dearth
• earth
• firth
• girth
• mirth

Kids Definition

unearth

verb

un·​earth ˌən-ˈərth 

ˈən-

1

: to drive or draw from the earth : dig up

unearth buried treasure

2

: to bring to light : discover

unearth a secret