# exposed

/ɪkˈspoʊzd/ (US) · /ɛkspˈəʊzd/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/exposed
Updated: 2026-06-19

## Senses

### 1. not protected from weather

adjective · CEFR B2

not covered or protected from the wind, rain, or sun.

For teachers: left without shelter or protection from the elements; vulnerable to environmental conditions.

- The house sits on an exposed hillside where the wind is very strong.
- The hikers found themselves on an exposed ridge as the storm rolled in, leaving them with no natural barriers against the gale-force winds.

### 2. visible or uncovered

adjective · CEFR B2

easy to see because it is not covered by anything.

For teachers: visible to the eye; not concealed by a covering, clothing, or a surface layer.

- The old brick wall had some exposed pipes that needed to be covered.
- During the renovation, the contractors found beautiful exposed beams hidden behind the modern plaster ceiling.

### 3. revealed a secret

verb · CEFR B2

showed the truth about someone or something, especially something bad or dishonest.

For teachers: revealed the true, often damaging, nature of someone or something; made a secret known to the public.

- The newspaper exposed the politician's lies just before the election.
- The investigative report exposed a long-standing pattern of corruption within the department, leading to several high-profile resignations.

### 4. introduced to something

verb · CEFR B2

given the chance to experience or learn about something new.

For teachers: brought into contact with an agent, influence, or experience. Often used with the preposition 'to'.

- The students were exposed to many different cultures during their trip.
- By working in the international division, she was exposed to a variety of management styles that she had never encountered in her home country.

## Examples

- The sun exposed the bright colors of the painting.
- The investigative journalist exposed the corruption within the local government after months of research.
- By removing the old wallpaper, the renovators exposed a series of original hand-painted murals that had been concealed for over a century.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.