unveiling

Pluralunveilings

1. 1
   nouncountable

   A ceremony at which something is shown publicly for the first time.

   Like the dramatic moment a magician whips away the cloth to reveal what was hidden beneath.

   The sculptor was nervous before the unveiling of his latest work.

   Thousands tuned in to watch the live unveiling of the new spacecraft.

   Similarlaunch, presentation, debut, premiere, reveal

   Note

   Here the uncovering has become an occasion: a monument, statue or new work is revealed before an audience, usually by a guest of honor. The person who performs it is said to do the unveiling, as Cem Davis put it in 2023 of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge at the National Windrush monument. Unlike the general act of uncovering, this sense counts freely, as in two unveilings in one week.

2. 2
   noununcountable

   The act of uncovering something or removing whatever conceals it.

   Like peeling back wrapping paper to reveal the gift inside.

   The gradual unveiling of the evidence reshaped the entire investigation.

   His unveiling of the manuscript required careful removal of the protective wrapping.

   Similarrevelation, disclosure, uncovering

   Oppositeconcealment

3. 3
   verb

   Present participle and gerund of unveil.

   The company is unveiling its latest phone at the conference.

   She spent the morning unveiling each portrait to the waiting guests.

   Note

   The verb form shows up in two constructions. After be it forms the progressive (they are unveiling the plans). As a gerund it keeps the verb's direct object (unveiling the statue took a minute). That object is how to tell it from the noun of uncovering, which needs of and can be plural: the unveiling of the statue, two unveilings. The verb can also stand without an object, meaning someone reveals themselves.

Showing meanings only. Show all 3