disguise, cloak, mask mean to alter the dress or appearance of so as to conceal the identity or true nature.
disguise implies a change in appearance or behavior that misleads by presenting a different apparent identity.
disguised herself as a peasant
cloak suggests a means of hiding a movement or an intention.
cloaked their maneuvers in secrecy
mask suggests some often obvious means of hiding or disguising something.
smiling to mask his discontent
Example Sentences
Verb He tried to disguise his voice on the phone but I could tell it was him. She disguised herself in a wig and glasses. We disguised the fact that we were disappointed. Noun He wore a disguise of glasses, a fake mustache, and a cap. The famous thief is known to be a master of disguise.
Recent Examples on the Web
Verb
Drawers flanking each side disguise less aesthetically pleasing products. Mary Cornetta, Better Homes & Gardens, 25 Aug. 2022 When not feeding, many inchworms disguise themselves like leaf stems or twigs by standing on their hind legs ramrod-straight and freezing like a living statue performer. Miri Talabac, Baltimore Sun, 21 July 2022 Crisis pregnancy centers often disguise themselves as places where people can receive abortions in order to coerce and pressure them not to terminate their pregnancies, according to Planned Parenthood. Kalhan Rosenblatt, NBC News, 8 July 2022 Verdant pine trees and tumbling fuchsia-pink bougainvillea disguise that the fact that the hotel is even there. Angelina Villa-clarke, Forbes, 12 June 2022 Jean Rhys doesn’t disguise her prequel novel’s effort to investigate female sexuality. Dinitia Smith, WSJ, 6 May 2022 In many cases, consultants used a network of dark money nonprofits in an apparent attempt to disguise the source of funding for these endeavors. Annie Martin, Orlando Sentinel, 28 July 2022 That included funneling the profits through several bank accounts in other people’s names as well as business accounts used to disguise the proceeds as legitimate revenue. Matt Bruce, ajc, 20 Aug. 2022 Think vertically to help disguise the walls and soften the space. Sophie Flaxman, Better Homes & Gardens, 18 Aug. 2022
Noun
But while there, Chris is subjected to a number of unsettling and terrifying situations, and soon uncovers the family’s chilling disguise. Warner Bros. Leah Campano, Seventeen, 29 Aug. 2022 Some of the anachronisms clashing with the mostly 18th-century costume design—such as Almaviva’s Mormon missionary disguise—were genuinely funny; others, like having Bartolo (Kevin Burdette) do a yoga routine in mid-aria, were distracting. Heidi Waleson, WSJ, 9 Aug. 2022 Glen Steigelman and Steve Halterman outfitted Big Josh, the 21-foot-tall fiberglass cowboy outside their Joshua Tree gift shop, in a pink fringed mask to match the country crooner’s trademark disguise.Los Angeles Times, 8 June 2022 Many folks on Twitter had a similar joke about it, including multiple references to Mets manager Bobby Valentine, who famously returned to the bench with a disguise after an ejection in 1999. Jr Radcliffe, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 15 Nov. 2021 Rosalind in disguise is the mean girl of Arden, self-lacerating and bitter about womanhood. Helen Shaw, The New Yorker, 1 Sep. 2022 RuPaul’s Secret Celebrity Drag Race has been making a splash with top celebrities in disguise absolutely killing it on stage.oregonlive, 26 Aug. 2022 Unfortunately, our instincts are often just biases in disguise. Elizabeth Weingarten, Fortune, 19 Aug. 2022 Though some artists can feel burdened by posting on TikTok to appease their record labels, Trainor says the app has been a blessing in disguise. Starr Bowenbank, Billboard, 5 Aug. 2022 See More
Word History
Etymology
Verb and Noun
Middle English disgisen, from Anglo-French desguiser, deguiser, from des- dis- + guise guise