divulge

verb

də-ˈvəlj How to pronounce divulge (audio)
Definition of divulgenext
as in to disclose
to make known (as information previously kept secret) we tried to make him divulge the name of the winner, but he wouldn't budge

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb divulge differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of divulge are betray, disclose, reveal, and tell. While all these words mean "to make known what has been or should be concealed," divulge implies a disclosure involving some impropriety or breach of confidence.

refused to divulge an anonymous source

When might betray be a better fit than divulge?

While in some cases nearly identical to divulge, betray implies a divulging that represents a breach of faith or an involuntary or unconscious disclosure.

a blush that betrayed her embarrassment

Where would disclose be a reasonable alternative to divulge?

Although the words disclose and divulge have much in common, disclose may imply a discovering but more often an imparting of information previously kept secret.

candidates must disclose their financial assets

When is reveal a more appropriate choice than divulge?

In some situations, the words reveal and divulge are roughly equivalent. However, reveal may apply to supernatural or inspired revelation of truths beyond the range of ordinary human vision or reason.

divine will as revealed in sacred writings

In what contexts can tell take the place of divulge?

The synonyms tell and divulge are sometimes interchangeable, but tell implies an imparting of necessary or useful information.

told them what he had overheard

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of divulge The initial story in The Atlantic had only described the operational part of the message chain, but did not divulge specifics. —Alexandra Hutzler, ABC News, 26 Mar. 2025 Schumer, 43, divulged her success with a new weight-loss medication before asking about the use of surnames within the royal family. —Tracy Wright, Fox News, 24 Mar. 2025 When information is a premium and even seen as a currency of its own, AI models can be designed to delve more deeply into users divulging vast amounts of personal information. —Zak Doffman, Forbes, 24 Mar. 2025 As a private company, Musk is not required to divulge as much about X's business and products as Twitter needed to when it was publicly traded. —Axios, 21 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for divulge
Recent Examples of Synonyms for divulge
  1. disclose
  2. reveal
  3. discover
  4. tell
Verb
  • The man's cause of death has not been disclosed at this time.
    — Escher Walcott, People.com, 20 Apr. 2025
  • Information on the film’s production budget or prints and advertising cost has not been disclosed.
    — Tim Lammers, Forbes.com, 20 Apr. 2025
Definition of disclose
Verb
  • In September 2023, another investigation with Webb – an advanced telescope launched in 2021 outfitted with powerful infrared instruments – revealed something more: traces of carbon-bearing molecules in K2-18b's atmosphere, including methane and carbon dioxide.
    — Eric Lagatta, USA Today, 19 Apr. 2025
  • While Garcia didn't reveal any other details about the baby, the video showed a close-up of the little one wrapped in a purple swaddle.
    — Ingrid Vasquez, People.com, 18 Apr. 2025
Definition of reveal
Verb
  • In an Episode 2 hospital flashback, Abby discovers her father, who was about to remove Ellie's brain for a humanity-saving cure.
    — Bryan Alexander, USA Today, 22 Apr. 2025
  • First discovered: 9:05 p.m. April 21 Initial location: Humboldt County, Calif. Fire type: Wildfire Fire name: Village A new wildfire was reported today at 9:05 p.m. in Humboldt County.
    — CA WILDFIRE BOT, Sacbee.com, 22 Apr. 2025
Definition of discover
Verb
  • The percentage tells the public how much of the fire perimeter is believed to not go beyond the control lines.
    — CA WILDFIRE BOT, Sacbee.com, 21 Apr. 2025
  • Fast-forward to today, and the experts now tell us students may ...
    — James V. Shuls, National Review, 20 Apr. 2025
Definition of tell

Browse Nearby Words

divorcing
divulge
divulged
See all Nearby Words

Podcast

Cite this Entry

“Divulge.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/divulge. Accessed 24 Apr. 2025.

Copy Citation

Share

More from Merriam-Webster on divulge

Nglish: Translation of divulge for Spanish Speakers

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!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

How to Use Em Dashes (—), En Dashes (–) , and Hyphens (-)

Words in Disguise: Do these seem familiar?

The Difference Between 'i.e.' and 'e.g.'

Democracy or Republic: What's the difference?

Every Letter Is Silent, Sometimes: A-Z List of Examples
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Flower Etymologies For Your Spring Garden

8 Words for Lesser-Known Musical Instruments

10 Words from Taylor Swift Songs (Merriam's Version)

'Blue Moon,' 'Wolf Moon,' and Other Moons to Look for Throughout the Year

10 Scrabble Words Without Any Vowels
See More

Popular

See More

How to Use Em Dashes (—), En Dashes (–) , and Hyphens (-)

Flower Etymologies For Your Spring Garden

8 Words for Lesser-Known Musical Instruments
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Word Game Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
name that thing flower edition
Name That Flower Can you tell the difference between a lilac and a...
See All