revelation
B2Formal, but common in educated spoken and written English; also used in religious contexts.
Definition
Meaning
The act of revealing or disclosing something surprising, secret, or previously unknown; a surprising and enlightening disclosure.
Often implies a profound, life-altering, or divine insight. Can refer to the final book of the New Testament (Revelation).
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Typically denotes a sudden, impactful realization or discovery. While sometimes used for trivial discoveries ('It was a revelation how good that coffee was'), this is a marked, informal extension of its core meaning.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant spelling or usage differences. Pronunciation differs (see IPA). The capitalised form 'the Revelation' or 'the Book of Revelation' is the same in both.
Connotations
Slightly stronger association with formal/religious contexts in the UK. In the US, 'revelation' is slightly more frequent in secular contexts (e.g., political scandals).
Frequency
Slightly more frequent in American English according to corpus data (COCA vs. BNC), but common in both.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
It was a revelation to + VERB (e.g., It was a revelation to see her perform)The revelation that + CLAUSE (e.g., The revelation that he had lied shocked us)REVELATION + about/of (e.g., a revelation about his past)Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “A bolt from the blue (similar sudden shock)”
- “The penny dropped (realisation, but less profound)”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Refers to the disclosure of critical financial information, like 'The audit led to a shocking revelation about the company's debts.'
Academic
Used in theology, philosophy, and literary analysis to denote a profound disclosed truth or insight.
Everyday
Describing a surprising personal discovery, e.g., 'Trying sushi for the first time was a revelation.'
Technical
In law, the formal disclosure of evidence or information (pre-trial revelation).
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- The documents were revealed to be forgeries.
- He revealed his plans over a pint.
American English
- The report revealed major flaws in the system.
- She revealed her decision at the press conference.
adverb
British English
- He spoke revealingly about his struggles.
- The figures were revealingly low.
American English
- She smiled revealingly.
- The report is revealingly titled 'The Cover-Up'.
adjective
British English
- The documentary was quite revelatory.
- He had a revelatory experience at the gallery.
American English
- The data was truly revelatory.
- Her book offers a revelatory look at the industry.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- The sunrise was a beautiful revelation.
- His smile was a happy revelation.
- The book's ending was a complete revelation.
- It was a revelation to learn she could paint.
- The journalist's investigation led to a shocking political revelation.
- His confession came as a revelation to his family.
- The archaeologist's find was nothing short of a revelation, overturning decades of established theory.
- Her nuanced performance was a revelation, garnering immediate critical acclaim.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a VEIL being LIFTED to REVEAL something (revelation).
Conceptual Metaphor
KNOWLEDGE IS LIGHT (a revelation 'sheds light' on something), TRUTH IS HIDDEN (revelation 'uncovers' it).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid confusing with 'откровение' in its casual sense of 'frank talk'. English 'revelation' is about discovery, not just honesty.
- Do not translate 'ревеляция' – this is a false cognate.
Common Mistakes
- Using it for any small discovery (overuse).
- Misspelling as 'revalation'.
- Confusing with 'revelry' (noisy celebration).
Practice
Quiz
In which context is 'revelation' LEAST appropriately used?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No. While it can be positive (a beautiful revelation), it often refers to shocking, surprising, or negative disclosures (a scandalous revelation).
'Discovery' is neutral and process-oriented. 'Revelation' implies something was hidden or secret and is now disclosed, often with a more dramatic, sudden, or emotional impact.
Stress is on the third syllable: rev-e-LA-tion. The 'a' in '-la-' sounds like the 'a' in 'day' (/eɪ/).
In religious contexts referring to the biblical book, it is standard to say 'the Book of Revelation' or 'the Revelation (of St John)'. Using just 'Revelation' is common but somewhat informal.
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