Disinterring: meaning, definitions and examples

In situations requiring a formal or clinical tone, especially in medical, forensic, or legal jargon related to removing a body for examination.

• The coroner received an order to exhume the body for a new autopsy.
• The police exhumed the grave to validate the identification.

When you speak in general terms about uncovering something buried, whether it is physical like soil or metaphorical like information. It is less formal and commonly used in everyday speech.

• We need to dig up the backyard to plant the new tree.
• She managed to dig up some interesting facts about the property's history.

When referring to discovering something hidden or buried, usually implying an element of discovery or revelation, and can be used in both literal and metaphorical senses.

• The team unearthed a hidden treasure chest in the old ruins.
• The journalist unearthed several secrets about the politician's past.

This is the appropriate term for digging up something, especially in an archaeological or construction setting. It implies a careful and methodical process, often associated with discovering historical artifacts or structures.

• Archaeologists plan to excavate the ancient ruins next summer.
• The construction crew had to excavate the site before building could begin.

Use this word when you want to describe the process of making something visible by removing whatever was covering it. It can apply both literally and figuratively.

• As the snow melted, it began to uncover the garden underneath.
• The investigation will uncover new details about the crime.

This word is used to describe the act of making something known or visible, which was previously hidden or unknown. It is broader and can apply to both physical uncovering and non-physical disclosures, such as secrets or facts.

• The curtain fell to reveal the grand stage design.
• He finally revealed the truth about his past.