unearth

verb un·earth \ ˌən-ˈərth \

|Updated on: 6 Aug 2018

Tip: Synonym Guide

Examples: unearth in a Sentence

Definition of unearth

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

See unearth defined for English-language learners

See unearth defined for kids

Examples of unearth in a Sentence

An old document was unearthed from the files.
They unearthed evidence that he had accepted bribes.

Recent Examples of unearth from the Web

If this is introduced for smaller diamonds, the buyer could identify the mine where the gem was discovered, or even the specific miner who unearthed it.

— andrew e. kramer, New York Times, "A Diamond Giant Plays Up Its Russian Ties to Appeal to Americans," 11 July 2018
However, the fairy-tale reunion sets in motion a series of events that unearths an unimaginable secret.

— bill goodykoontz, azcentral, "'Three Identical Strangers:' A fascinating, if incomplete, puzzle," 5 July 2018
So a team of modders decided to unearth it—with the help of ElDewrito, a software tool that was part crack, part content restoration mod.

— julie muncy, WIRED, "Saying Goodbye to the Fan Game That Recreated a Decade-Old Classic," 11 May 2018
During the past three years, archaeologists and public field school participants have unearthed clues about Connecticut's early colonial past at three archaeological sites.

— Courant Community, "Community News For The Glastonbury Edition," 17 Apr. 2018
And environmentalists are working around-the-clock to unearth them.

— Bloomberg.com, "Army of Conservative Allies Rallying to Save Embattled EPA Chief," 5 Apr. 2018
And environmentalists are working around-the-clock to unearth them.

— bloomberg news, NOLA.com, "Army of conservative allies rallying to save embattled EPA chief," 5 Apr. 2018
On the steep cliff faces of a gully at Shangchen, a Chinese team unearthed 96 stone points, flakes, and cores that were probably used to carve up animal bones or to smash them open for marrow.

— ann gibbons, Science | AAAS, "Our ancestors may have left Africa hundreds of thousands of years earlier than thought," 11 July 2018
But a keyword search of Cook County death cases unearthed numerous examples.

— john keilman, chicagotribune.com, "Giving addicted inmates opioid meds behind bars can reduce overdose deaths. Why don't more jails use them?," 6 July 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'unearth.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

First Known Use of unearth

15th century

in the meaning defined at sense 1

See Words from the same year

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unearth Synonyms

Synonyms

disinter, exhume;

Antonyms

bury, entomb, inhume, inter, tomb;

Synonym Discussion of 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.