Meaning & use
disinterred
Last updated
“disinterred” is a form of “disinter”. See that entry for the full set of meanings.
Meanings
verbtransitiveformal
dug up a buried body from the ground
Grammar: Takes an object: disinterred the remains. The active form is disinter; disinterred is the past tense and past participle.
Patterns
- disinter something
- disinter a body
- be disinterred from something
The archaeologists disinterred the ancient burial site last summer.
The remains were disinterred and moved to a new cemetery.
Local authorities disinterred the body after new evidence emerged.
verbtransitivefigurativeformal
brought something forgotten or hidden back into notice
Grammar: Often used figuratively with abstract nouns like memories, secrets, or scandals.
Patterns
- disinter something
- disinter a memory
- disinter a secret
The reporter disinterred old scandals from the company's past.
The memoir disinterred painful memories the family had long buried.
Historians disinterred forgotten documents that changed the story.
Word forms
| third person singular | disinters |
|---|---|
| past tense | disinterred |
| past participle | disinterred |
| -ing form | disinterring |
Common combinations
- disinter a body
- Police disinterred a body to carry out a second autopsy.
- disinter remains
- The remains were disinterred for DNA testing.
- disinter a memory
- The song disinterred a memory of her childhood.
- be disinterred from
- The coffin was disinterred from the churchyard.
Synonyms and how they differ
- exhume
- Exhume is the more technical term used in legal and medical contexts; disinter is slightly more literary.
- unearth
- Unearth is more general and can mean 'find by digging' or 'discover'; disinter specifically refers to removing a buried body.
- dig up
- Dig up is informal and can be used for objects or figurative discoveries; disinter is formal and usually refers to human remains.
Opposites
Word family
- disinter verb
- The base form meaning 'dig up a buried body'.
- disinterment noun
- The act of digging up a buried body.
Commonly confused: disinterred or disinterested?
disinterred vs disinterested
Disinterested means 'impartial' or 'not influenced by personal feelings'; disinterred is the past tense of disinter.
Practice
The archaeologists _____ the ancient tomb to study the burial customs.
Choose one answer.
Disinterred is the past tense needed here to show a completed action. Interred means 'buried', the opposite meaning. Disinterested means 'impartial'. Disinterring is the -ing form and would need a helping verb (were disinterring).
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “disinterred”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.