revelatory
gb/ɹɪvˈɛlətˌɔɹi/ us/ɹɪvˈɛlətˌɔɹi/
C1
English
Senses
0 senses
adjective
C1
property
1
revealing something important or surprising
It shows you something new and makes you understand better.
Usage pattern:
[something] is revelatory (for/to [someone])
Common mistake:
Often confused with revel (to celebrate) or relevant.
Synonyms
eye-opening (More conversational; emphasizes surprise.)
|
enlightening (Emphasizes learning and understanding.)
|
illuminating (Slightly more formal; suggests clarity.)
|
revealing (More general; focuses on showing hidden facts.)
|
insightful (Highlights deep understanding rather than new facts.)
Antonyms
unenlightening (Does not increase understanding.)
|
unrevealing (Does not expose new information.)
|
uninformative (Provides little useful information.)
Collocations
revelatory insight
|revelatory discovery
|revelatory moment
|revelatory experience
|revelatory interview
|revelatory account
|revelatory report
|revelatory documentary
|revelatory study
|revelatory detail
Themes
communication
|learning
|media
Examples
- The leaked emails were revelatory, showing how the decision was really made.
- Her memoir is revelatory about life inside the industry.
- The data wasn’t just interesting—it was genuinely revelatory for the whole team.
Learner examples
- The article was revelatory.
- That conversation was revelatory for me.
adjective
formal
C2
property
2
relating to religious revelation
Connected to a religious message or truth being revealed.
Usage pattern:
revelatory [experience/text/vision]
Common mistake:
In everyday English, this word usually means ‘eye-opening,’ not specifically religious.
Synonyms
prophetic (Suggests a message from God or a prediction, not just disclosure.)
|
apocalyptic (Often tied to end-times revelations; narrower and more specific.)
Antonyms
secular (Not religious or based on divine revelation.)
Collocations
revelatory vision
|revelatory experience
|revelatory text
|revelatory tradition
|revelatory truth
|revelatory knowledge
Themes
religion
|philosophy
|history
Examples
- The paper discusses revelatory experiences in early Christianity.
- In some traditions, scripture is treated as revelatory rather than purely historical.
- He framed the dream as a revelatory vision with spiritual meaning.
Grammar
Dictionary form
revelatory
IPA
GB/ɹɪvˈɛlətˌɔɹi/
US/ɹɪvˈɛlətˌɔɹi/
Syllables & stress
rev - el - at - ory (4 syllables)
Stress on 2nd syllable (el)
Word forms
Adjective
- Base: revelatory
- Comparative: revelatorier
- Superlative: revelatoriest
Expressions
a revelatory experience
1/ə ɹɪvˈɛlətˌɔɹi ɪkspˈɪɹiəns/
fixed phrase
an eye-opening experience
An experience that changes what you understand.
Examples
- Living abroad was a revelatory experience for him.
- The workshop was surprisingly revelatory for the group.
- Talking to patients was a revelatory experience for the new doctor.
a revelatory moment
1/ə ɹɪvˈɛlətˌɔɹi mˈoʊmənt/
fixed phrase
a sudden eye-opening realization
A time when you suddenly understand something new.
Examples
- Reading the feedback was a revelatory moment for her.
- He had a revelatory moment when he saw how much time he was wasting.
- The therapy session led to a revelatory moment about his childhood.
find [something] revelatory
1/fˈaɪnd sˈʌmθɪŋ ɹɪvˈɛlətˌɔɹi/
fixed phrase
feel something reveals new understanding
To think something is very revealing.
Examples
- Many viewers found the documentary revelatory.
- I didn’t find his explanation revelatory, just confusing.
- She found the old photographs revelatory.
nothing revelatory
1/nˈʌθɪŋ ɹɪvˈɛlətˌɔɹi/
fixed phrase
not new or surprising
It is not new or surprising.
Examples
- The report offered nothing revelatory about the cause of the crash.
- It’s a decent overview, but there’s nothing revelatory here.
- His statement contained nothing revelatory.