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

The remnants of a 19th-century shipwreck have been unearthed on the beach at a New Jersey state park. —David Matthews, New York Daily News, 23 Jan. 2026

For Patterson, getting the best out of his defenders never proved to be a problem at TCU, where he was known for unearthing underrated prospects. —Ryan Kartje, Los Angeles Times, 22 Jan. 2026

Rare elephant bone A triangular fragment of dense cortical bone was originally unearthed in the 1990s but remained a mystery for decades. —Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 21 Jan. 2026

Earlier last year, scientists unearthed a new dinosaur, plus its ancient leftovers, in a tourist hot spot in Argentina. —Andrea Margolis, FOXNews.com, 20 Jan. 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