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

Recent Examples on the Web There are other suspects, like the professor’s handyman, played by Thomas M. Wright with a touch of Manson, as well as Roy’s former partner (Tommy Flanagan), who appears to have masterminded a cover-up. Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 23 Mar. 2024 The same goes with the pants; pair them with your favorite blouses, sweaters, and even wear them as a swim cover-up or pajamas if needed. Samantha Leal, Travel + Leisure, 22 Mar. 2024 Some of them got pretty crazy, ranging from a cover-up of Kate’s alleged death, to a theory that the Royal Family were reptilian aliens. Steven Levy, WIRED, 22 Mar. 2024 Extending beyond dresses, the collection features pieces for a multitude of celebratory occasions, such as bikinis, pajamas, pantsuit separates, skirts, crochet-style cover-ups and more. Jordan Greene, Peoplemag, 22 Mar. 2024 Lee said, however, that Hartfield failed to intervene in the violence and participated in a cover-up. Michael Goldberg and Emily Wagster Pettus, Quartz, 21 Mar. 2024 His lawyers argue the payments to Mr. Cohen were legitimate legal expenses and were not part of any cover-up. Michael R. Sisak, The Christian Science Monitor, 16 Mar. 2024 After the palace posted a heavily edited picture of the princess and her three children, claims of a cover-up intensified. Elizabeth Logan, Glamour, 14 Mar. 2024 The one-size cover-up comes in five vacation-ready shades, from classic black to a tropical green. Kristin Braswell, Travel + Leisure, 11 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'cover-up.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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

Dictionary Entries Near cover-up

Cite this Entry

“Cover-up.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cover-up. Accessed 29 Mar. 2024.

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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