cover-up

noun

cov·​er-up ˈkə-vər-ˌəp How to pronounce cover-up (audio)
1
a
: a device or stratagem for masking or concealing
his garrulousness is a cover-up for insecurity
b
: a usually concerted effort to keep an illegal or unethical act or situation from being made public
2
: a loose outer garment

Examples of cover-up in a Sentence

that contrived burglary was just a cover-up for murder
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The Age of Disclosure features interviews with 34 members of the U.S. government, military, and intelligence community, exploring claims of a long-standing cover-up surrounding alien life. Monica Mercuri, Forbes, 12 Mar. 2025 The last photo in the post showed the mom of four in a black bathing suit with a matching cover-up around her waist, donning brown paper bags as shoes. Kayla Grant, People.com, 12 Mar. 2025 Police deny involvement in those killings and reject allegations from rights groups of systematic executions and cover-ups. Karen Lema, USA TODAY, 11 Mar. 2025 The great lunar cover-up gets started at 12:09 a.m. when the moon makes its first contact with the umbra shadow in the high southeast sky. Mike Lynch, Twin Cities, 9 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for cover-up

Word History

First Known Use

1927, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of cover-up was in 1927

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Cite this Entry

“Cover-up.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cover-up. Accessed 19 Mar. 2025.

Kids Definition

cover-up

noun
cov·​er-up
ˈkəv-ə-ˌrəp
: a planned effort to conceal a wrongful act or situation

More from Merriam-Webster on cover-up

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