Definition

1. Adjective:

   • Making something known or visible: Providing information that was previously hidden, secret, or not obvious.
   • (Of clothing) Allowing parts of the body to be seen: Leaving little to the imagination; not covering the body fully.

2. Noun:

   • The act of making something evident: The speech act of disclosure or exposure.

Usage Examples

• Adjective:

  • The documentary was very revealing about the politician's early career.
  • She wore a revealing dress to the party.
  • His comments were surprisingly revealing of his true feelings.

• Noun:

  • The revealing of the company's financial data caused a scandal.
  • Her revealing of the secret shocked everyone.

Advanced Usage

• "Revealing of": Used to indicate what specific information is disclosed.
  • The report is revealing of systemic failures within the organization.
• "Revealing as": Used to describe the nature of the disclosure.
  • The interview was fascinating, revealing as much through silence as through speech.

Variants and Related Words

• Reveal (verb): To make known something that was secret or hidden.
  • He refused to reveal his sources.
• Revelation (noun): A surprising and previously unknown fact that has been disclosed.
  • The biography contained several shocking revelations.
• Revealingly (adverb): In a way that makes something known.
  • She smiled revealingly.

Synonyms

• Adjective: disclosive, informative, telltale, indicative, explanatory.
• Noun: disclosure, exposure, divulgence.

Antonyms

• Adjective: concealing, hiding, unrevealing, secretive.
• Noun: concealment, cover-up, suppression.

Related Phrases and Idioms

• A revealing glimpse/insight/look: A brief view or understanding that discloses significant information.
  • The leaked emails provided a revealing glimpse into the corporate culture.
• Tell its own revealing story: To be clear evidence of a situation without needing further explanation.
  • The empty streets tell their own revealing story about the impact of the storm.

Adjective

1. showing or making known
   • her dress was scanty and revealing
2. disclosing unintentionally
   • a telling smile
   • a telltale panel of lights
   • a telltale patch of oil on the water marked where the boat went down

Noun

1. the speech act of making something evident