Word
exhumed
Phoneticsex·humed, stress on the second syllable
US/ɛksˈhjumd/
UK/ɛɡzjˈuːmd/
Definition
v. to dig up something that was buried, usually a dead body. You also use it when old facts or secrets are brought back into the open.
v. to remove a buried body from the ground, usually for legal or scientific examination. Extended to bringing hidden facts, works, or memories back into public attention.
Examples
“They exhume the body for further testing.”
“Police exhumed the body after new evidence suggested the death was not natural.”
“Decades later, historians exhumed forgotten letters that reshaped the public memory of the trial.”
Examples
simple
“They exhume the body for further testing.”
contextual
“Police exhumed the body after new evidence suggested the death was not natural.”
complex
“Decades later, historians exhumed forgotten letters that reshaped the public memory of the trial.”
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “exhumed” in context.
Verb
01. authorities exhume
“The authorities exhumed the grave after new evidence emerged.”
noun + verb
02. exhume for examination
“Pathologists exhumed the body for examination by specialists.”
verb + prep + noun
03. exhume from grave
“Investigators exhumed the coffin from the grave for testing.”
verb + prep + noun
04. get exhumed
“They got the remains exhumed after thirty years.”
verb + verb
05. have exhumed
“The family had the body exhumed for a second autopsy.”
verb + verb
Adjective
06. exhumed corpse
“The exhumed corpse was transferred to the forensic laboratory for analysis.”
adj + noun
07. exhumed remains
“DNA tests on the exhumed remains confirmed the soldier's identity.”
adj + noun
Noun
08. demand to exhume
“The press led a public demand to exhume the mass grave.”
noun + prep + verb
09. exhume a long-buried scandal
“The documentary exhumed a long-buried scandal from the 1970s.”
10. exhume remains for dna testing
“Scientists exhumed remains for DNA testing to identify the victims.”
11. exhume the past for revenge
“Rivals exhumed the past for revenge during the election campaign.”
12. have a body exhumed
“The family won permission to have a body exhumed for DNA testing.”
Usage
The verb is transitive and takes a direct object.
Real-World Examples
“Currently, human remains are exhumed and partially destroyed during analysis.” “Police have exhumed a grave and arrested a man on suspicion of murder as part of investigations into the "unexplained death" of a woman in 2022.” “The remains of Nazi leader Adolf Hitler's deputy Rudolf Hess have been exhumed from a grave in Bavaria after it became a pilgrimage for thousands of right-wing extremists.” “On Thursday, the remains of Nicolae Ceausescu, Romania's former communist leader, and his wife Elena were exhumed, nearly two decades after their demise, to verify their burial location, according to their son-in-law.” Related words
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C2 ProficiencyIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.8.5–9.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 6.0114–120
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- C2 · Proficiency
- Updated
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