mask 1 of 2

1
as in costume
a cover or partial cover for the face used to disguise oneself an elaborate mask that would be suitable for a fancy masquerade ball

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance
2

mask

2 of 2

verb

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb mask differ from other similar words?

The words cloak and disguise are common synonyms of mask. While all three words mean "to alter the dress or appearance of so as to conceal the identity or true nature," mask suggests some often obvious means of hiding or disguising something.

smiling to mask his discontent

When is cloak a more appropriate choice than mask?

Although the words cloak and mask have much in common, cloak suggests a means of hiding a movement or an intention.

cloaked their maneuvers in secrecy

When can disguise be used instead of mask?

The words disguise and mask can be used in similar contexts, but disguise implies a change in appearance or behavior that misleads by presenting a different apparent identity.

disguised herself as a peasant

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 mask
Noun
Police said the victim was standing outside when a car pulled up and two men wearing masks got out of the vehicle. Harry Harris, Mercury News, 25 Mar. 2025 Gilder is charged with grand theft and robbery with a mask. Terry Dickerson, NBC news, 25 Mar. 2025
Verb
The concept of double-consciousness can also be applied to being neurodivergent and masking— two warring ideals in one body. Maya Richard-Craven, Forbes, 24 Mar. 2025 According to Phillips, swelling margins masked unchecked spending. Corey Buhay, Outside Online, 24 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for mask
Recent Examples of Synonyms for mask
Noun
  • With nowhere to hide and no way to escape her Dobby costume, the teacher had no choice but to soldier through the day.
    Tereza Shkurtaj, People.com, 30 Mar. 2025
  • Pikachu hasn't been the only inflatable costume spotted in amid the recent protests in Turkey.
    Amaris Encinas, USA Today, 27 Mar. 2025
Noun
  • The dawn light drew a silver veil over this land of unnerving beauty, reminding me of paintings by Caspar David Friedrich and William Blake.
    Chloe Berge, Travel + Leisure, 13 Mar. 2025
  • The Tulle Top Christopher Esber’s T-shirt is unlike any other it is draped with a veil of silky texture.
    Cortne Bonilla, Vogue, 7 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • Many Tesla owners have reported selling their vehicles or disguising them as being from a different maker out of shame or fear.
    Brian Niemietz, New York Daily News, 29 Mar. 2025
  • The harpist is Merlin, disguised, though the members of court realize this only long afterward.
    Alan Yuhas, New York Times, 28 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • The film doesn’t conceal the role that informal migrant labor plays in European agriculture and the toll that its informality takes on the migrants.
    Bartolomeo Sala, The Dial, 27 Mar. 2025
  • Once concealed structural beams have been exposed, allowing the geometry of the honeycombed ceilings and the pillars to speak honestly, inviting visitors to better understand the integrity of Pereira’s original design.
    Jennifer Lee, Forbes, 26 Mar. 2025
Noun
  • Toward the bottom, there’s a strange and tiny figure in a dark cloak, walking.
    Amanda Petrusich, The New Yorker, 17 Mar. 2025
  • The Front Man sheds his Player 001 tracksuit and trades it for his signature black cloak and mask.
    Monica Mercuri, Forbes, 28 Dec. 2024
Verb
  • It is believed they are drawn to these smells to claim their territory or camouflage their scent, which dogs often do by rolling around near the odor.
    Dan Perry, Newsweek, 27 Feb. 2025
  • The octopus, with dexterous arms and camouflaging abilities, excels at extracting prey from crevices and hiding spots, commonly using a technique called a web-over.
    Jake Parks, Discover Magazine, 3 Feb. 2025
Verb
  • The ancient springhead, natural waterpark, and retro roadside attraction has more than a few secrets hidden in its eelgrass.
    Kelsey Glennon, Southern Living, 22 Mar. 2025
  • That event presented an opportunity that was too good to pass up: the chance to explore the seafloor below the iceberg’s original location—like overturning a rock or log in the woods to see what creatures lie hidden underneath.
    Ashley Balzer Vigil, Scientific American, 21 Mar. 2025
Noun
  • For weeks, the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) has operated under a shroud of mystery.
    Ross Rosenfeld, Newsweek, 26 Feb. 2025
  • There was definitely a shroud of secrecy around them.
    Lynette Rice, Deadline, 26 Feb. 2025

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Mask.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mask. Accessed 2 Apr. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on mask

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!