divulgence
C2Formal
Definition
Meaning
The act of making something secret or private known to others.
The action or process of revealing information, especially confidential or sensitive information that was previously undisclosed.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Refers to the act or instance of disclosure. Often implies the information was previously held in confidence. Is the nominal form of the verb 'divulge'.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No major syntactic or semantic differences. Both use the term in formal contexts.
Connotations
In both varieties, it carries formal, often legal or official connotations.
Frequency
Low frequency in both varieties. The verb 'divulge' is significantly more common.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
the divulgence of [confidential information]divulgence to [a third party]a divulgence that [clause]Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “None directly; see 'let the cat out of the bag' (idiom for the act of divulging).”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Used in contracts or NDAs regarding the protection of trade secrets (e.g., 'Any divulgence of client data will result in termination.').
Academic
Used in legal, historical, or political science papers discussing the release of classified documents or private correspondence.
Everyday
Rare in casual conversation; more common in news reports about leaks or scandals.
Technical
Used in legal and information security contexts to denote a breach of confidentiality.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- The whistleblower refused to divulge her sources.
- The terms of the settlement preclude them from divulging any details.
American English
- The company cannot divulge proprietary formulas.
- He was legally barred from divulging what he knew.
adverb
British English
- He spoke divulgingly about the project, much to his manager's horror.
- The report was written divulgingly, with little regard for confidentiality.
American English
- She answered the questions divulgingly, revealing more than was necessary.
- The memo circulated divulgingly within the department.
adjective
British English
- The divulgent report caused a major scandal in the press.
- Her divulgent testimony was crucial to the inquiry.
American English
- The document's divulgent nature led to its classification.
- His actions were seen as highly divulgent of internal protocols.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- The divulgence of the secret made everyone surprised.
- His divulgence caused a lot of problems.
- The unauthorised divulgence of the email led to her dismissal.
- The treaty forbids the divulgence of military secrets to foreign powers.
- The journalist faced prosecution for her alleged role in the divulgence of state secrets.
- The contract included a stringent clause penalising any divulgence of the negotiation details.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of DIVULGENCE as the formal, noun-form cousin of 'tell'. DIVULGE -> to tell a secret; DIVULGENCE -> the act of telling that secret.
Conceptual Metaphor
SECRETS ARE CONTAINERS (the divulgence 'releases' or 'opens' the contained information).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Do not confuse with 'разглашение' (disclosure/leak) – the core meaning is correct but 'divulgence' is more formal and less common than the Russian equivalent. Avoid using it for casual 'telling'.
Common Mistakes
- Using it as a verb (incorrect: 'He divulgenced the news.' Correct: 'He made a divulgence of the news.' or 'He divulged the news.').
- Confusing it with 'divergence' (a different word meaning 'moving apart').
Practice
Quiz
In which context is 'divulgence' LEAST likely to be used?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
'Divulgence' strongly implies the information was secret or private, often with a negative connotation of betrayal. 'Disclosure' is broader and more neutral; it can be a routine or required sharing of information (e.g., financial disclosure).
No, it is a low-frequency, formal word. The verb 'divulge' is more commonly used in both writing and speech.
Rarely. Its connotations are typically negative or neutral-formal, involving a breach of trust or confidentiality. A positive reveal might use 'revelation' or 'announcement'.
Yes, 'divulgatory' or 'divulgent', though both are very rare. The phrase 'related to divulgence' or 'that divulges' is more common.