uncover

verb

un·​cov·​er ən-ˈkə-vər 

uncovered; uncovering; uncovers

transitive verb

1

: to make known : bring to light : disclose, reveal

uncover the truth

2

: to expose to view by removing some covering

3

a

: to take the cover from

b

: to remove the hat from

uncovered his head

4

: to deprive of protection

intransitive verb

1

: to remove a cover or covering

2

: to take off the hat as a token of respect

Synonyms

• bare
• disclose
• discover
• divulge
• expose
• let on (about)
• reveal
• spill
• tell
• unbosom
• uncloak
• unmask
• unveil

Examples of uncover in a Sentence

Police uncovered a criminal plot.

Archaeologists uncovered the ruins of an ancient city.

Recent Examples on the Web

Officers uncovered the remains of four monkeys, identified as bushmeat, concealed among other items. —Andy Biggs, Newsweek, 25 Dec. 2024

Mural conservators are working to uncover 20 angels hidden under layers of paint for more than a century at the Boston church made famous by Paul Revere. —Landon Mion, Fox News, 25 Dec. 2024

By scratching beneath the surface to uncover these positive attributes, spies are able to forge connections with even the most seemingly reprehensible individuals. —Jeremy Hurewitz, TIME, 21 Dec. 2024

One of Larsen’s biographers, George Hutchinson, uncovered a passenger manifest that recorded Larsen’s travel from Denmark, and a Danish genealogist, Shari Jensen, discovered that Larsen’s relatives lived in Copenhagen at the same address as the relatives of the fictional Helga. —Ethelene Whitmire, New York Times, 20 Dec. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

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

Kids Definition

uncover

verb

un·​cov·​er ˌən-ˈkəv-ər 

1

: to make known : disclose, reveal

uncover a plot

2

: to expose to view by removing some covering

uncover the ruins of an ancient city

3

a

: to take the cover from

uncover the box

b

: to remove the hat from

c

: to take off one's hat as a sign of respect