Dictionary

expose en · VERB

Pronunciation

• /ɪkˈspəʊz/ (Received-Pronunciation)
• /ɪkˈspoʊz/ (General-American)
• /ɛkˈspoʊz/ (General-American)
• (US) audio

Etymology

From Middle English exposen, from Old French exposer (“to lay open, set forth”), from Latin expōnō (“set forth”), with contamination from poser (“to lay, place”). Doublet of expone and expound (via Old French espondre (“to set forth, explain”)), from the same Latin term.

Meanings

1. (transitive) To reveal; to uncover; to make visible; to bring to light.
   • Many supporters believed Donald Trump would finally expose government cover-ups once he returned to power. But more than six months into his new term, those much-hyped conspiracy theories have either been debunked or quietly fallen apart. 2025 July 10, Jesus Mesa, “'We've Been Played': MAGA Faces Its Own Disappointment With Trump”, in Newsweek:
   • The dispatches revealed details of corruption and kleptocracy that many Tunisians suspected, […]. They also exposed the blatant discrepancy between the west's professed values and actual foreign policies. 2013 June 7, Gary Younge, “Hypocrisy lies at heart of Manning prosecution”, in The Guardian Weekly, volume 188, number 26, page 18:
2. (transitive) To subject photographic film to light, thereby recording an image.
3. (transitive) To submit to an active (mostly dangerous) substance, such as radiation, a chemical, or any other stress.
   • You understand that by using the Services, you may be exposed to Content that might be offensive, harmful, inaccurate or otherwise inappropriate, or in some cases, postings that have been mislabeled or are otherwise deceptive. 2021 August 19, “Twitter User Agreement”, in Twitter, archived from the original on 20 Aug 2021, 3 Content on the Services:
   • Residents were exposed to dangerous levels of radiation.
4. (transitive) To make available to other parts of a program, or to other programs.
   • In the OO world, the word is to hide the structure of the data, and expose only functionality. OO designers expose an object to the world in terms of the services it provides. 2000, Robert C. Martin, More C++ Gems, page 266:
   • to expose an API
5. (transitive) To abandon, especially an unwanted baby in the wilderness.
   • This they do, as a rule, by exposing the child or throwing it into the sea. 1893, Fridtjof Nansen, Eskimo Life, page 152:

Forms

Deriveds

autoexpose · coexpose · underexpose · exposé · reexpose · exposure · exposal · exposome · exposition · preexpose · overexpose · exposable · hyperexpose · expose oneself · photoexpose

Synonyms

luster · nake · expose · unveil · open · display · reveal · betray · find out · uncloak · bewray · show · uncover · lay bare · bare · unfold

Translations (118)

mi tīari (to reveal, uncover, make visible, bring to light, introduce to) · mi kōhure (to reveal, uncover, make visible, bring to light, introduce to) · hi खोलना (to reveal, uncover, make visible, bring to light, introduce to) · mi whakatoki (to reveal, uncover, make visible, bring to light, introduce to) · la discooperio (to reveal, uncover, make visible, bring to light, introduce to) · th เผย (to reveal, uncover, make visible, bring to light, introduce to) · eo elmeti (to reveal, uncover, make visible, bring to light, introduce to) · th แฉ (to reveal, uncover, make visible, bring to light, introduce to) · zdj upvenua (to reveal, uncover, make visible, bring to light, introduce to) · ru де́лать вы́держку (to subject photographic film to light) · fr exposer (to reveal, uncover, make visible, bring to light, introduce to) · nn openberra (to reveal, uncover, make visible, bring to light, introduce to) · es sacar a la luz (to reveal, uncover, make visible, bring to light, introduce to) · tr açığa çıkarmak (to reveal, uncover, make visible, bring to light, introduce to) · uk піддава́ти ді́ї (to submit to an active substance) · it mettere in luce (to reveal, uncover, make visible, bring to light, introduce to) · pl ukazać (to reveal, uncover, make visible, bring to light, introduce to) · sv blottlägga (to reveal, uncover, make visible, bring to light, introduce to) · ru обнажа́ть (to reveal, uncover, make visible, bring to light, introduce to) · hil abansáda (to reveal, uncover, make visible, bring to light, introduce to) · nl blootleggen (to reveal, uncover, make visible, bring to light, introduce to) · ru раскрывать (to uncover something so it is open to the elements) · sv exponera (to subject photographic film to light) · ja 晒す (to reveal, uncover, make visible, bring to light, introduce to) · de bloßlegen (to reveal, uncover, make visible, bring to light, introduce to) · ca mostrar (to uncover something so it is open to the elements) · pt mostrar (to uncover something so it is open to the elements) · ca expondre (to uncover something so it is open to the elements) · el αποκαλύπτω (to reveal, uncover, make visible, bring to light, introduce to) · bg откривам (to reveal, uncover, make visible, bring to light, introduce to) · gd foillsich (to reveal, uncover, make visible, bring to light, introduce to) · gd nochd (to subject photographic film to light) · it mostrare (to uncover something so it is open to the elements) · kk әшкерелеу (to reveal, uncover, make visible, bring to light, introduce to) · ja 露光させる (to subject photographic film to light) · pt expor (to uncover something so it is open to the elements) · cmn 揭發 /揭发 (to reveal, uncover, make visible, bring to light, introduce to) · fi valottaa (to subject photographic film to light) · th เปิดเผย (to reveal, uncover, make visible, bring to light, introduce to) · lt atskleisti (to reveal, uncover, make visible, bring to light, introduce to) · fi paljastaa (to uncover something so it is open to the elements) · el εκθέτω (to subject photographic film to light) · es poner al descubierto (to reveal, uncover, make visible, bring to light, introduce to) · sw kufunua (to reveal, uncover, make visible, bring to light, introduce to) · la monstrō (to uncover something so it is open to the elements) · pl eksponować (to subject photographic film to light) · mi hura (to reveal, uncover, make visible, bring to light, introduce to) · mi whakapūangiangi (to uncover something so it is open to the elements) · ms dedah (to reveal, uncover, make visible, bring to light, introduce to) · ro expune (to reveal, uncover, make visible, bring to light, introduce to) · ang abarian (to reveal, uncover, make visible, bring to light, introduce to) · ota كشف ایتمك (to reveal, uncover, make visible, bring to light, introduce to) · pt expor (to subject photographic film to light) · ja 暴く (to reveal, uncover, make visible, bring to light, introduce to) · it rivelare (to reveal, uncover, make visible, bring to light, introduce to) · it evidenziare (to reveal, uncover, make visible, bring to light, introduce to) · mi whakamōrea (to submit to an active substance) · fr exposer (to subject photographic film to light) · fi altistaa (to submit to an active substance) · el εκθέτω (to reveal, uncover, make visible, bring to light, introduce to) · es mostrar (to uncover something so it is open to the elements) · eo eksponi (to subject photographic film to light) · cmn 揭露 (to reveal, uncover, make visible, bring to light, introduce to) · cmn 曝光 (to subject photographic film to light) · cmn 露出 (to reveal, uncover, make visible, bring to light, introduce to) · cmn 暴露 (to reveal, uncover, make visible, bring to light, introduce to) · cs odhalit (to reveal, uncover, make visible, bring to light, introduce to) · uk виставля́ти (to reveal, uncover, make visible, bring to light, introduce to) · es develar (to reveal, uncover, make visible, bring to light, introduce to) · mi whakapūangiangi (to reveal, uncover, make visible, bring to light, introduce to) · mi pārara (to reveal, uncover, make visible, bring to light, introduce to) · bg разкривам (to reveal, uncover, make visible, bring to light, introduce to) · es exponer (to reveal, uncover, make visible, bring to light, introduce to) · la expōnō (to uncover something so it is open to the elements) · it esporre (to reveal, uncover, make visible, bring to light, introduce to) · sv exposera (to uncover something so it is open to the elements) · mi hura (to subject photographic film to light) · nn avsløra (to reveal, uncover, make visible, bring to light, introduce to) · de entblößen (to reveal, uncover, make visible, bring to light, introduce to) · ca deixar al descobert (to uncover something so it is open to the elements) · pl odsłonić (to reveal, uncover, make visible, bring to light, introduce to) · uk розкрива́ти (to reveal, uncover, make visible, bring to light, introduce to) · cs vystavit (to reveal, uncover, make visible, bring to light, introduce to) · bg експонирам (to subject photographic film to light) · ja 暴露する (to reveal, uncover, make visible, bring to light, introduce to) · de belichten (to subject photographic film to light) · pt expor (to reveal, uncover, make visible, bring to light, introduce to) · fi paljastaa (to reveal, uncover, make visible, bring to light, introduce to) · nl exposeren (to reveal, uncover, make visible, bring to light, introduce to) · id papar (to reveal, uncover, make visible, bring to light, introduce to) · de aufdecken (to reveal, uncover, make visible, bring to light, introduce to) · de aussetzen (to uncover something so it is open to the elements) · nl zichtbaar maken (to reveal, uncover, make visible, bring to light, introduce to) · gd rùisg (to reveal, uncover, make visible, bring to light, introduce to) · swb uv̄enua (to reveal, uncover, make visible, bring to light, introduce to) · fr exposer (to uncover something so it is open to the elements) · ro expune (to subject photographic film to light) · ru раскрыва́ть (to reveal, uncover, make visible, bring to light, introduce to) · mi whakaari (to reveal, uncover, make visible, bring to light, introduce to) · nl blootstellen (to subject photographic film to light) · pt revelar (to reveal, uncover, make visible, bring to light, introduce to) · fi altistaa (to uncover something so it is open to the elements) · ru выставля́ть (to reveal, uncover, make visible, bring to light, introduce to) · es exponer (to subject photographic film to light) · es dar a conocer (to reveal, uncover, make visible, bring to light, introduce to) · es exponer (to uncover something so it is open to the elements) · de offenbaren (to reveal, uncover, make visible, bring to light, introduce to) · cs exponovat (to subject photographic film to light) · es poner en evidencia (to reveal, uncover, make visible, bring to light, introduce to) · it esporre (to subject photographic film to light) · pl naświetlić (to subject photographic film to light) · mi whakatoki (to uncover something so it is open to the elements) · it esporre (to uncover something so it is open to the elements) · de enttarnen (to reveal, uncover, make visible, bring to light, introduce to) · hi उघाड़ना (to reveal, uncover, make visible, bring to light, introduce to) · mi rakorako (to reveal, uncover, make visible, bring to light, introduce to) · fr dénoncer (to reveal, uncover, make visible, bring to light, introduce to) · th เปิดโปง (to reveal, uncover, make visible, bring to light, introduce to)