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

Radiohead have unearthed a previously unseen video of a Thom Yorke acoustic performance from 1995 to mark the 30th anniversary of The Bends. —Daniel Kreps, Rolling Stone, 14 Mar. 2025

The Digest Archaeologists have unearthed the torso of a 12th or 13th-century statue of Buddha in Cambodia’s Angkor temple complex, which matches a head found at the site nearly a century ago. —Harrison Jacobs, ARTnews.com, 13 Mar. 2025

Read Next: Alabama Fossil Hunter Finds 34-Million-Year-Old Whale Skull on Her Family Farm After unearthing the prehistoric fossil, the team spent two days covering it in protective plaster and building a frame to transport it back to the Sul Ros campus in Alpine. —Dac Collins, Outdoor Life, 12 Mar. 2025

Read Next World 1,400-year-old Jewish ritual bath unearthed on outskirts of Rome. —Aspen Pflughoeft, Miami Herald, 12 Mar. 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