Definition of disclosenext

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb disclose differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of disclose are betray, divulge, reveal, and tell. While all these words mean "to make known what has been or should be concealed," disclose may imply a discovering but more often an imparting of information previously kept secret.

candidates must disclose their financial assets

Where would betray be a reasonable alternative to disclose?

The synonyms betray and disclose are sometimes interchangeable, but betray implies a divulging that represents a breach of faith or an involuntary or unconscious disclosure.

a blush that betrayed her embarrassment

In what contexts can divulge take the place of disclose?

While the synonyms divulge and disclose are close in meaning, divulge implies a disclosure involving some impropriety or breach of confidence.

refused to divulge an anonymous source

When would reveal be a good substitute for disclose?

While in some cases nearly identical to disclose, reveal may apply to supernatural or inspired revelation of truths beyond the range of ordinary human vision or reason.

divine will as revealed in sacred writings

When is it sensible to use tell instead of disclose?

In some situations, the words tell and disclose are roughly equivalent. However, tell implies an imparting of necessary or useful information.

told them what he had overheard

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of disclose Although the advances typically have to be paid back over a couple of months, California law requires the interest to be measured and disclosed by an annual rate. — Audrey McGlinchy, Los Angeles Times, 28 Oct. 2026 OpenAI has promised to disclose more details by the end of the year. — Emily Forlini, Fortune, 28 Oct. 2026 No motive has ever been disclosed, but on Tuesday, Edgar spoke to the court for the first time since the trial. — Cristóbal Reyes, The Orlando Sentinel, 27 Oct. 2026 Those details are expected to be disclosed in about two weeks. — Leslie Picker, CNBC, 27 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for disclose
Recent Examples of Synonyms for disclose
Verb
  • The 18th consecutive defeat for the DOJ, coming in the form of a dismissal of its lawsuit targeting New Jersey, followed a disclosure from the state revealing that thousands of noncitizens were illegally registered to vote.
    — Mia Cathell, The Washington Examiner, 2 Nov. 2026
  • That makes the meteorite a new window into that planet, one that reveals history scientists haven't been able to see in the scarce samples on Earth.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 2 Nov. 2026
Verb
  • Claude discovered that fictional stories and roleplay exercises could conceal concerning behaviors from training-data screening systems.
    — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 31 Oct. 2026
  • In homebuilding, discovering a flaw means addressing it before the damage spreads.
    — Christian Swann, The Orlando Sentinel, 30 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • Shapiro told Semafor that he’ll be focused on passing a few specific items if his party wins full control of the government — not a parade of progressive bills, as Democrats in some swing states have done after winning the legislature.
    — David Weigel, semafor.com, 30 Oct. 2026
  • In his ruling rejecting the DOJ’s lawsuit, Carter said the federal government had the right to investigate instances of criminal voting but not to tell California how to run its elections.
    — Andrew Graham, Sacbee.com, 30 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • Season broth with salt and freshly ground black pepper and simmer, uncovered, until flavors come together and broth is rich tasting, about 20 minutes.
    — Chris Morocco, Bon Appetit Magazine, 30 Oct. 2026
  • The program, named Operation Janus, initially uncovered three hundred and fifteen thousand instances of missing fingerprint data in immigration files, which were flagged for further investigation.
    — Rozina Ali, New Yorker, 30 Oct. 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Disclose.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/disclose. Accessed 4 Nov. 2026.

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