divulge
Americanverb (used with object)
-
divulges,
present (3rd person singular)
-
divulged,
past participle, past
-
divulging
present participle
verb
Synonym Usage
See reveal.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
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divulgementnoun
-
divulgencenoun
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divulgernoun
-
nondivulgingadjective
-
undivulgedadjective
-
undivulgingadjective
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
divulgesimple
-
divulgessimple
-
have divulgedperfect
-
has divulgedperfect
-
am divulgingprogressive
-
are divulgingprogressive
-
is divulgingprogressive
-
have been divulgingperfect progressive
-
has been divulgingperfect progressive
Past
-
divulgedsimple
-
had divulgedperfect
-
was divulgingprogressive
-
were divulgingprogressive
-
had been divulgingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of divulge
First recorded in 1425–75; late Middle English (from Anglo-French ), from Latin dīvulgāre, equivalent to dī- di- 2 + vulgāre “to make general or common, to spread” ( vulg(us) “the masses” + -āre infinitive suffix)
Explanation
If you've been sneaking around with your best friend's boyfriend, that's probably one secret you don't want to divulge, because revealing that tidbit of information will probably cut your friendship short. Divulge often precedes the word secret, because it means to reveal something, and that something is often of a personal or private nature. A gossip columnist's job is to divulge which celebrities are secretly dating and which ones have been caught in embarrassing situations. Although the word comes from the Latin word for making something public to the masses, it can also be used to describe information passed from one person to another. For example, a mother could divulge to her daughter that she was adopted.
Vocabulary lists containing divulge
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
Grynkewich's intervention looks unlikely to divulge many new details on NATO's strategy and is intended to both send a signal to Moscow and reassure members on the alliance's eastern flank.
From Barron's ● Oct. 12, 2026
The agency "does not divulge protected, sensitive, or classified information pertaining to the termination of legal status of foreign nationals", state department spokesman Tommy Pigott said in a statement.
From BBC ● Aug. 19, 2026
Disney did not divulge a price for the commercial time, although reports said the company was seeking $10 million for a 30-second spot.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 5, 2026
Bolter declined to divulge more about his conversation with the FBI, which has not been previously reported, but allegations from Bolter’s 2020 affidavit were central to some conspiracy theories about the 2020 election.
From Salon ● Jun. 12, 2026
He was disappointed, but not inclined to believe Yossarian, for he had been given a sign, a secret, enigmatic vision that he still lacked the boldness to divulge.
From "Catch-22" by Joseph Heller
The cook, author and TV personality divulges her secret ingredient and other cooking tips.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 18, 2026
He claims to have secured decisive concessions that he rarely divulges and promises a resolution to the crisis, causing markets to swing dramatically.
From Barron's ● Mar. 23, 2026
Dorn is a prolific author of three novels and a memoir, “Bad Lawyer,” where she divulges secrets from her past life as a reluctant lawyer trying to meet her family’s expectations.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 5, 2025
In one of the more heart-breaking scenes, actress Vivian divulges that she fled to Ethiopia from Eritrea, a neighbouring country that enforces indefinite military conscription for all able-bodied citizens.
From BBC ● Apr. 20, 2025
This is a codex of his mind as he divulges his art and the scope of his interests.
From Voices from the Past by Paul Alexander Bartlett
In a call with analysts, Chairman and Chief Executive Kenneth Lay also divulged that the company had cut its shareholder equity by $1.2 billion, meaning Enron was suddenly worth a lot less money.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 16, 2026
The authorities have not divulged which inmates had inhabited the luxury accommodation, nor said what will happen to them now.
From Barron's ● Sep. 30, 2026
While some information was divulged, the government claimed legal privilege over some of the correspondence, with the Court of Session eventually ruling those did not have to be disclosed.
From BBC ● Aug. 27, 2026
Each family is believed to have received between $2.5 million and $3 million, but exact amounts have not been divulged because of a nondisclosure agreement.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 16, 2026
No information had been collected, not a single idea about the whereabouts of Wes and Tony had been divulged.
From "The Other Wes Moore: One Name, Two Fates" by Wes Moore
The Salvadoran breakfast blended the two, a stage outside the U.S. spotlight, with Suozzi navigating the overlap awkwardly as he and his fellows sang The Fellowship’s praises, without naming it or divulging many details.
From Salon ● May 29, 2026
Tax preparers recognize that divulging personal finances can prove uncomfortable for clients.
From MarketWatch ● Mar. 13, 2026
There's a sense of unease bubbling under this gentle indie rock song, as though singer Karly Hartzman is perpetually on the brink of divulging an uncomfortable truth.
From BBC ● Dec. 20, 2025
A much larger secret casts shadows between Sarah and Ethan: a diagnosis of her serious illness, which he inadvertently discovered when glancing at a pile of bills, and which she has avoided divulging.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 31, 2025
My family might worry about my divulging something so personal.
From "How Dare the Sun Rise" by Sandra Uwiringiyimana
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