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

• disinter
• 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

Genealogists would later unearth that his maternal grandparents were Creole people from Louisiana — an often mixed-race cultural identity linked to French, Spanish, African and Indigenous heritages. —Nell Salzman, Chicago Tribune, 15 May 2025

Outside market insights and expertise can offer a wealth of industry-specific advice to help bridge your knowledge gaps and unearth potential opportunities. —Todd Villeneuve, Forbes.com, 14 May 2025

The findings suggest the bead likely formed from material excavated by a massive asteroid impact — possibly one that struck the moon with enough force to unearth rock from the upper mantle and fling it to the surface. —Sharmila Kuthunur, Space.com, 13 May 2025

Many ancient Roman artifacts have been unearthed in Belgium in recent years, including a dodecahedron fragment and a cremation cemetery containing a skeleton assembled from the bones of eight people. —Sonja Anderson, Smithsonian Magazine, 12 May 2025

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