shroud

1 of 2

noun

ˈshrau̇d 

 especially Southern  ˈsrau̇d

1

: burial garment : winding-sheet, cerement

2

: something that covers, screens, or guards: such as

a

: one of two flanges that give peripheral support to turbine or fan bedding

b

: a guard (as of ceramic or fiberglass) that protects a spacecraft from the heat of launching

3

a

: one of the ropes leading usually in pairs from a ship's mastheads to give lateral support to the masts

b

: one of the cords that suspend the harness of a parachute from the canopy

4

obsolete : shelter, protection

Illustration of shroud

• 1 shroud 3a

shroud

2 of 2

verb

shrouded; shrouding; shrouds

transitive verb

1

a

: to cut off from view : obscure

trees shrouded by fog

this point is shrouded in uncertainty

—Henry James

b

: to veil under another appearance (as by obscuring or disguising)

shrouded the decision in a series of formalities

2

: to dress for burial

3

a

archaic : to cover for protection

b

obsolete : conceal

intransitive verb

archaic : to seek shelter

Synonyms

Noun

• blanket
• cloak
• cope
• cover
• cover-up
• covering
• coverture
• curtain
• hood
• mantle
• mask
• pall
• penumbra
• robe
• veil
• wraps

Verb

• belie
• blanket
• blot out
• cloak
• conceal
• cover
• curtain
• disguise
• enshroud
• hide
• mask
• obscure
• occult
• paper over
• screen
• suppress
• veil

Examples of shroud in a Sentence

Noun

the truth of the affair will always be hidden under a shroud of secrecy

Verb

The mountains were shrouded in fog.

Their work is shrouded in secrecy.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Located atop the power-supply shroud, a second set of fan-mounting holes is threaded to accept included #6-32 screws from the top. —PC Magazine, 1 May 2025

See treasures Iron brooches that would have been used to secure shrouds or clothing were found placed around the chest or wrist in some graves, researchers said. —Irene Wright, Miami Herald, 30 Apr. 2025

Verb

The talks have been shrouded in secrecy, and neither side made comments to reporters on the way out. —Arkansas Online, 11 May 2025

The talks have been shrouded in secrecy and neither side made comments to reporters on the way out. —Paul Wiseman, Chicago Tribune, 10 May 2025

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English, garment, from Old English scrūd; akin to Old English scrēade shred — more at shred entry 1

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 4

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 3a

Phrases Containing shroud

• futtock shroud

Rhymes for shroud

• bowed
• browed
• cloud
• coude
• cowed
• crowd
• dowd
• loud
• ploughed
• plowed
• proud
• sowed

Kids Definition

shroud

1 of 2 noun

ˈshrau̇d 

1

: the cloth placed over or around a dead body

2

: something that covers or shelters like a shroud

a shroud of secrecy

3

: one of the ropes that go from the masthead of a ship to the sides to provide support to the mast

shroud

2 of 2 verb

: to cover with or as if with a shroud

shrouded in fog