cloak 1 of 2

cloak

2 of 2

verb

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb cloak differ from other similar words?

The words disguise and mask are common synonyms of cloak. While all three words mean "to alter the dress or appearance of so as to conceal the identity or true nature," cloak suggests a means of hiding a movement or an intention.

cloaked their maneuvers in secrecy

When is it sensible to use disguise instead of cloak?

While the synonyms disguise and cloak are close in meaning, disguise implies a change in appearance or behavior that misleads by presenting a different apparent identity.

disguised herself as a peasant

When is mask a more appropriate choice than cloak?

In some situations, the words mask and cloak are roughly equivalent. However, mask suggests some often obvious means of hiding or disguising something.

smiling to mask his discontent

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of cloak
Noun
Just don’t mistake the film’s vision of cloak and dagger for any kind of contemporary reality. A.a. Dowd, Rolling Stone, 11 Apr. 2025 The highlight is a room housing exceptional creations including the court cloak with a sweeping train worn by Franca Florio, the wife of a Sicilian businessman and shipowner, when she was appointed lady-in-waiting to Italy’s Queen Elena in 1902. Joelle Diderich, Footwear News, 7 May 2025
Verb
Hospitality workers cloaked in union T-shirts packed the room and coalesced behind the proposal from Kissimmee Place Development Group for a 300-room Hyatt Place hotel and convention center adjacent to the Toho Square parking garage, according to a report in GrowthSpotter. Laura Kinsler, The Orlando Sentinel, 8 May 2025 American humor can often be more brash than British comedy, which is cloaked in irony and self-deprecation. David Sims, The Atlantic, 8 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for cloak
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cloak
Noun
  • Lovato, meanwhile, was a vision in her custom Vivienne Westwood wedding gown and cathedral-style veil.
    Erin Clack, People.com, 27 May 2025
  • The bride completed the look with a long cathedral veil.
    Ilaria Perrotta, Glamour, 26 May 2025
Noun
  • Now, 5000+ free walker capes have been given away, which spark conversation, connection, and community.
    Connie Etemadi, USA Today, 28 May 2025
  • The sleeveless dress incorporated a large statement bow at the neckline and a flowing silhouette with coordinated sheer cape.
    Julia Teti, Footwear News, 22 May 2025
Verb
  • Of course, the sister’s lives face greater disruption when the alien Stitch enters their lives disguised as a dog, sabotaging Nani’s desperate attempts to get her life in order.
    Dani Di Placido, Forbes.com, 28 May 2025
  • Khare, 32, changed into an elaborate old man disguise, complete with a latex mask, in a nearby phone booth before entering the premiere as a guest, as revealed in her TikTok and Instagram videos.
    Bryan Alexander, USA Today, 21 May 2025
Verb
  • Then, a sliding mechanism was discreetly integrated to allow for a television and soundbar to be concealed behind the panels.
    Nicole Trilivas, Forbes.com, 26 May 2025
  • But that average conceals more-vulnerable pockets in the state: in two counties, one-quarter of children didn’t have their shots, and in eight schools, less than half did.
    Meg Wingerter, Denver Post, 25 May 2025
Noun
  • Cobwebs surround a mower's engine shroud in the back of the garage.
    Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 25 May 2025
  • Publicly vilified for freezing during the massacre, Gerald, an ex-school resource officer, lives under a shroud of shame, questioning his will to survive.
    Matthew Carey, Deadline, 22 May 2025
Noun
  • The star ingredient, lady’s mantle, is packed with antioxidants to help calm inflammation (a major plus for breakouts and pimples), while ceramides work to repair the skin barrier and lock in moisture.
    Denise Primbet, Glamour, 28 May 2025
  • That’s because during the planet’s formation about 4.5 billion years ago, some of the ruthenium that is locked inside Earth’s core originated from a different source than the small amount found in the mantle today.
    Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 22 May 2025
Verb
  • Luckily grad school was in person; we were masked and testing every week.
    Kristen Tauer, Footwear News, 25 May 2025
  • These threats masked any optimism from the U.S. and China continuing their trade talks.
    Paulina Likos, CNBC, 25 May 2025
Verb
  • Though Polish presidential candidates often stand as individuals, rather than representatives of a party, there is little hiding their affiliations, and each major party historically endorses and campaigns for a candidate.
    Rob Picheta, CNN Money, 2 June 2025
  • Ukraine was able to smuggle drones deep into Russia by hiding them in the tops of flatbed trucks, which parked near military bases before the drones lifted off to attack planes on the runway.
    Brittney Melton, NPR, 2 June 2025

Cite this Entry

“Cloak.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cloak. Accessed 6 Jun. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on cloak

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!