revelation
noun
rev·e·la·tion ˌre-və-ˈlā-shən 
1
a
: an act of revealing or communicating divine truth
b
: something that is revealed by God to humans
2
a
: an act of revealing to view or making known
b
: something that is revealed
especially : an enlightening or astonishing disclosure
shocking revelations
c
: a pleasant often enlightening surprise
her talent was a revelation
3
capitalized : an apocalyptic writing addressed to early Christians of Asia Minor and included as a book in the New Testament
called also Apocalypse
see Bible Table
Synonyms
- disclosure
- divulgence
- exposure
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
The book includes many shocking revelations about the mayor's personal life. The revelation that she was a drug user was not a surprise to me. Revelations by the newspaper caused a scandal.
Recent Examples on the Web Almost the sole interlude of visual interest is a carpet of CG flowers springing to life along a roadside and under the wheels of Narvel’s car during a moment of romantic revelation. 
David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter, 3 Sep. 2022 His efforts as pitch-man on mailers and social media were something of a revelation. Tom Krasovic, San Diego Union-Tribune, 29 Aug. 2022 My favorite way to express this kind of revelation about AI Ethics is to liken the matter to earthquakes. Lance Eliot, Forbes, 8 Aug. 2022 The fallout of the MoFi revelation has thrown the audiophile community into something of an existential crisis. Geoff Edgers, Washington Post, 5 Aug. 2022 But the boringness on display via BeReal is also a bit of a revelation. Sarah Todd, Quartz, 2 Aug. 2022 Bannon dismissed the prospect of an explosive new revelation. Anchorage Daily News, 11 July 2022 At 40, Hadreas is six albums into a career that has mapped the gay body as a territory of emotional and sensual revelation. Jason Kyle Howard, The Atlantic, 17 June 2022 Fortunately, the world is full of intrepid souls who keep running up that hill of revelation. Ashley Strickland, CNN, 4 June 2022 See More
David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter, 3 Sep. 2022 His efforts as pitch-man on mailers and social media were something of a revelation. Tom Krasovic, San Diego Union-Tribune, 29 Aug. 2022 My favorite way to express this kind of revelation about AI Ethics is to liken the matter to earthquakes. Lance Eliot, Forbes, 8 Aug. 2022 The fallout of the MoFi revelation has thrown the audiophile community into something of an existential crisis. Geoff Edgers, Washington Post, 5 Aug. 2022 But the boringness on display via BeReal is also a bit of a revelation. Sarah Todd, Quartz, 2 Aug. 2022 Bannon dismissed the prospect of an explosive new revelation. Anchorage Daily News, 11 July 2022 At 40, Hadreas is six albums into a career that has mapped the gay body as a territory of emotional and sensual revelation. Jason Kyle Howard, The Atlantic, 17 June 2022 Fortunately, the world is full of intrepid souls who keep running up that hill of revelation. Ashley Strickland, CNN, 4 June 2022 See More Word History
Etymology
Middle English revelacioun, from Anglo-French, from Late Latin revelation-, revelatio, from Latin revelare to reveal
First Known Use
14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a
Phrases Containing revelation
Kids Definition
revelation
noun
rev·e·la·tion ˌre-və-ˈlā-shən
: a secret or surprising fact that is made known
revelation
noun
as in disclosure
the act or an instance of making known something previously unknown or concealed the revelation of the movie star's secret marriage by the tabloids a new biography of the former president that contains several shocking revelations Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- disclosure
- divulgence
- exposure
- bombshell
- surprise
- confession
- acknowledgment
- surprize
- acknowledgement
- avowal
- admission
- kicker
- concession
- kick
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- concealment
- cover-up