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
-
divulgementnoun
-
divulgencenoun
-
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
The Vocabulary.com Top 1000
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Walk Two Moons
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Freak the Mighty
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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:
Locke is reluctant to divulge his own interpretation of the characters’ future, preferring instead to let viewers make sense of the hopeful ending.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 17, 2026
“In essence, xAI equates asking a candidate about their prior work experience with encouraging the candidate to divulge trade secrets obtained during that prior work experience,” Lin said.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 15, 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
It wouldn’t be fair to divulge its details to those who are unfamiliar with the grisly tale, because it provides “Kenrex” with a dramatically, not to mention emotionally, satisfying conclusion.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 7, 2026
I promise not to divulge her secrets, but for the first time, I ask her to return the favor.
From "Before We Were Free" by Julia Alvarez
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
“Wicked” divulges that the Wizard commissioned the vehicle to fool Ozians that, like Elphaba, Glinda is airborne, despite her magical deficiencies.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 24, 2025
For their part, Buscemi and Thompson utilize the complementary power of stillness and the close-up to create a portrait of a woman who hears so much and divulges so little.
From New York Times ● Mar. 28, 2024
This leaves national security interests at risk from a new class of insider threats: the unwitting leaker who uses chatbots to find much-needed connections and unintentionally divulges sensitive information along the way.
From Scientific American ● Jul. 17, 2023
“Onward the chariot of the Unvarying moves; Nor day divulges him nor night conceals; Thou hear’st the echo of unreturning hooves, And thunder of irrevocable wheels.”
From Italy, the Magic Land by Lilian Whiting
Walter’s majority ownership share has not been publicly divulged.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 25, 2026
Text messages divulged during the trial also put power struggles behind closed doors on full display.
From BBC ● May 15, 2026
Arm Holdings just divulged a new figure related to its plans to start making central processing units.
From MarketWatch ● May 6, 2026
Though her image is ubiquitous in North Korea, Pyongyang has divulged little about the girl.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 13, 2026
Like Sandy June’s location, Fireball news was all word of mouth, divulged with the greatest of discretion.
From "Legendary Frybread Drive-In" by Cynthia Leitich Smith
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
The arrests of Billups and Rozier put to bed another notion pushed by proponents: that the athletes to watch are the low-paid ones living on the fringes, who might be seduced into divulging inside info.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 24, 2025
They meet in-person at offices and hotels in different states, never divulging the locations.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 3, 2025
My family might worry about my divulging something so personal.
From "How Dare the Sun Rise" by Sandra Uwiringiyimana
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
