Make Your Point > Archived Issues > DIVULGE

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pronounce DIVULGE: Say it either "dih VULGE" or "die VULGE." I prefer "die VULGE." To hear it, click here. connect this word to others: Our word divulge is one of those formal, precise verbs that can take the place of lengthier, folksier phrases, like "to spill the beans" or "to let the cat out of the bag." See if you can recall some more formal verbs that can stand in, quite eloquently, for longer phrases: 1. Instead of saying "put on the spot" or "throw into a tizzy," you could pick the word "dis___fit." 2. Instead of saying "burst one's bubble" or "bring down to earth," you could pick the word "dis____sion." 3. Instead of saying "break with" or "put up a fight," you could pick the word "dis___t." Here's a hint for that last one: (To reveal any word with blanks, give it a click.) definition: We took our word "divulge" from a Latin one meaning "to publish: to make common." (That's why it looks a bit like the word "vulgar," which first meant "common.") In English, "divulge" first meant "to publish." But it took on the more specific meaning that we always use now.  To divulge something is to reveal it or disclose it. In other words, to divulge something is to let people know about it, even though it was private or secret. grammatical bits: Part of speech: Verb, the transitive kind: "I can't believe they divulged those details;" "They can't yet divulge who the victims were." Other forms:  Divulged, divulging, divulger(s). For the noun, pick either "divulgement" or, my preference, "divulgence." There's an adjective, but it's rare and ugly: "divulgatory." how to use it: Pick the formal, common word "divulge" when you need to strike a serious tone as you talk about people sharing information that used to be private--and that, perhaps, should have been kept that way. Talk about people who divulge things. Or, talk about documents (like letters, emails, posts, and articles) that divulge things. Most often, we talk about divulging data, information, secrets, and details. examples: "'I have colon cancer,' I said... 'I have a port in my chest, under my skin, where I get chemotherapy every two weeks.' I realized I was divulging a lot for a first date."    — Marjorie S. Rosenthal, New York Times, 4 September 2020 "When I found out that not only was the story being made into a film, but my mistake had been included, I had some sleepless nights. I met Footman, the young actor who plays me, at a cafe in London early last year with some trepidation. She told me she couldn't divulge any specifics about the movie. 'But is it made clear I wasn’t fired over what happened?' I asked."    — Nicole Mowbray, The Guardian, 27 July 2019 has this page helped you understand "divulge"? Awesome, I'm glad it helped! Thanks for letting me know! If you have any questions about this word, please message me at Liesl@HiloTutor.com. study it: Explain the meaning of "divulge" without saying "leak" or "broadcast." try it out: Some people make friends fast, almost immediately divulging all sorts of things about themselves. Some don't. Some never divulge much about themselves at all, even to their closest friends. What kind of divulger (or non-divulger) are you? If you like, use this space to write. (To save your work, copy and paste it into an email or a document.) before you review, play: Try to spend 20 seconds or more on the game below. Don’t skip straight to the review—first, let your working memory empty out. Our game for October is "Silly Smashings!" In each issue this month, I'll give you the definition of a word I've concocted by smashing together two words we've studied before. See if you can come up with the same silly smashing that I did. For example, I'll say, "This noun means 'an extremely outdated, old-fashioned, ill-considered assumption that there are only two ways of dealing with a certain problem.'" And you'll say, "That's a troglodichotomy." (Which is a silly smashing of troglodyte and dichotomy.) I'll list the answer at the bottom of each issue. Maybe your answer will match mine. Or maybe yours will be even better; if so, be sure to share it with me! Try this one today: This adjective describes people who, like Ken Jennings, know absolutely everything about everything, which makes you wonder how all those enormous bodies of knowledge even fit into a single brain. review this word: 1. The opposite of DIVULGE is A. TAKE. B. HIDE. C. JOIN. 2. Online, it's good manners to say "_____" before divulging _____. A. good game .. straight into the next match B. spoiler alert .. details about the plot of a movie C. <sarcasm> .. comments that might be misconstrued literally Answers to review questions: 1. B 2. B Answer to the game question: Brobdingnagiencyclopedic. That's a silly smashing of Brobdingnagian and encyclopedic. a final word: I hope you're enjoying Make Your Point. It's made with love. I'm Liesl Johnson, a reading and writing tutor on a mission to explore, illuminate, and celebrate words. From my blog:    36 ways to study words.    Why we forget words, & how to remember them.    How to use sophisticated words without being awkward. To be a sponsor and include your ad in an issue, please contact me at Liesl@HiloTutor.com. Disclaimer: When I write definitions, I use plain language and stick to the words' common, useful applications. If you're interested in authoritative and multiple definitions of words, I encourage you to check a dictionary. Also, because I'm American, I stick to American English when I share words' meanings, usage, and pronunciations; these elements sometimes vary across world Englishes.