Meaning & use
exposure
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Meanings
noununcountable
The state of being in contact with something harmful or without protection, such as weather, chemicals, or danger.
Grammar: Usually followed by to: exposure to sunlight.
Patterns
- exposure to something
Long exposure to the sun can damage your skin.
Workers were warned about exposure to toxic chemicals.
The hikers died from exposure in the cold.
noununcountable
The chance to experience or learn about something new.
Grammar: Often exposure to ideas, languages, or cultures.
Patterns
- exposure to something
Early exposure to music helped her develop an ear.
Students gain exposure to different careers.
His exposure to other cultures changed his views.
noununcountable
Public attention or coverage that makes someone or something widely known.
Grammar: Often media exposure.
Patterns
- get exposure
- media exposure
The band got great exposure from the festival.
The small business needs more exposure online.
The scandal brought him unwanted exposure.
nouncountable or uncountable
The act of revealing something hidden, especially something wrong or embarrassing.
Grammar: Often an exposure of corruption.
Patterns
- the exposure of something
The exposure of the fraud led to arrests.
The paper's exposure of the scandal won awards.
He feared the exposure of his secret.
nouncountable or uncountabletechnical
In photography, the amount of light allowed to reach the film or sensor, or a single photo taken.
Grammar: A technical photography sense.
Patterns
- a long exposure
A long exposure captures the movement of stars.
The photo was spoiled by overexposure.
Set the exposure to one second.
Word forms
| plural | exposures |
|---|
Common combinations
- exposure to
- Exposure to loud noise can harm your hearing.
- media exposure
- The athlete gets plenty of media exposure.
- long exposure
- A long exposure turns water into mist.
- risk of exposure
- The risk of exposure is high in the lab.
- die of exposure
- The climber died of exposure.
- sun exposure
- Limit your sun exposure at midday.
Synonyms and how they differ
- contact
- Contact is neutral and simply means touching, while exposure often hints at harm or risk.
- publicity
- Publicity is attention that is often planned, whereas exposure can be unplanned.
- revelation
- Revelation is something newly disclosed, usually surprising.
- experience
- Experience is general knowledge from doing, while exposure suggests brief contact.
Opposites
Word family
- expose verb
- to uncover or reveal
- exposed adjective
- not protected or hidden
- overexposure noun
- too much exposure, as to light or media
- underexposed adjective
- given too little light, as a photo
Commonly confused: exposure or exposition?
exposure vs exposition
Exposition means a clear explanation or a large public show, and it is not the same as exposure.
Practice
Choose the correct preposition: Long exposure ___ strong sunlight can cause sunburn.
Choose one answer.
Exposure to is the standard pattern for being in contact with something.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “exposure”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.