To unearth means to dig something up out of the ground or to discover something that was hidden or forgotten. Archaeologists unearth ancient pottery and tools from buried cities, carefully brushing away dirt to reveal objects that haven't been seen for thousands of years. A dog might unearth a bone it buried in the backyard last week.

The word also means discovering information or facts that were concealed or hard to find. A journalist might unearth evidence of corruption by searching through old documents. A researcher unearthing facts about a historical figure might discover letters tucked away in an attic or records filed in a dusty archive.

Notice that unearth suggests effort and sometimes surprise. You don't unearth something lying in plain sight. When you unearth your grandmother's diary while cleaning the attic, you've found something valuable that was lost or forgotten. It works just as well for digging up secrets, uncovering mysteries, or finding any hidden treasure worth the search.