as in to exhume
to remove from place of burial unearthed a hoard of treasures from the Egyptian tomb

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb unearth contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of unearth are ascertain, determine, discover, and learn. While all these words mean "to find out what one did not previously know," unearth implies bringing to light something forgotten or hidden.

unearth old records

When is ascertain a more appropriate choice than unearth?

The words ascertain and unearth are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, 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

When can determine be used instead of unearth?

While the synonyms determine and unearth are close in meaning, determine emphasizes the intent to establish the facts definitely or precisely.

unable to determine the origin of the word

When might discover be a better fit than unearth?

Although the words discover and unearth have much in common, discover may apply to something requiring exploration or investigation or to a chance encounter.

discovered the source of the river

When would learn be a good substitute for unearth?

While in some cases nearly identical to unearth, 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

Recent Examples on the Web Germany has a single major munitions disposal facility, and it is occupied with incinerating unexploded ordnance from around the globe, not least, incredibly, Nazi-era explosives still being unearthed from construction sites. Paul Hockenos, Smithsonian Magazine, 10 Sep. 2024 The show took place on Saturday, September 20, 1969, and a multi-track recording of it was newly unearthed. Matthew Strauss, Pitchfork, 10 Sep. 2024 The five-year-old document was unearthed by CNN and had remained live on the organization’s website since prior to the last presidential election. Anna Giaritelli, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 10 Sep. 2024 But in its inelegant efforts to unearth situational humor out of those clumsy memories, the film unfortunately sidesteps real complexities and character revelations in the process. Tomris Laffly, Variety, 16 Aug. 2024 See all Example Sentences for unearth 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'unearth.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Thesaurus Entries Near unearth

Cite this Entry

“Unearth.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unearth. Accessed 18 Sep. 2024.

More from Merriam-Webster on unearth

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!