# revelation

/ˌɹɛvəˈɫeɪʃən/ (US) · /ɹˌɛvɪlˈeɪʃən/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/revelation
Updated: 2026-08-15

## Senses

### 1. a surprising secret

noun · CEFR B2

a surprising fact that people didn't know before.

For teachers: the disclosure of information that was previously secret or unknown, especially when it is shocking or unexpected.

- The revelation that the company was losing money shocked the investors.
- The journalist's latest revelation regarding the senator's private business dealings sparked an immediate ethics investigation.

### 3. religious truth

noun · CEFR C1 · Formal

a message or truth that comes from a god.

For teachers: the communication of divine truth or knowledge to humanity by a deity or through supernatural means.

- The prophet claimed to have received a divine revelation in the desert.
- Theologians spent centuries debating the nature of the revelation and its implications for modern religious practice.

### 4. the Bible book

noun · CEFR C2 · Formal

the last book of the Christian Bible.

For teachers: the final book of the New Testament, containing prophecies about the end of the world.

- The Book of Revelation contains many famous and mysterious symbols.
- Scholars often compare the apocalyptic imagery in Revelation to other contemporary Jewish and Christian writings.

Usage: Usually capitalized as 'Revelation' or 'the Book of Revelation'.

## Examples

- The news was a shocking revelation to everyone.
- The journalist's latest article provided a startling revelation about how the company had been spending its tax breaks.
- For many readers, the biography served as a profound revelation, stripping away the subject's public persona to reveal a deeply conflicted and private individual.

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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.