1
: a loose outer garment
2
: something likened to an outer garment: such as
a
: something that envelops or conceals
a cloak of secrecy
b
: a distinctive character or role
hung up his academic cloak … to become a stay-at-home father—
Charles Chamberlain
Charles Chamberlain
cloaked; cloaking; cloaks
: to cover or hide with or as if with a cloak
Synonyms
Examples of cloak in a Sentence
Noun
Their plans were shrouded in a cloak of secrecy.
the cloak of mystery that surrounds the royal family
Verb
the outlaw nation had cloaked its chemical weapons plant as a fertilizer factory
cloaked their military maneuvers from the outside world
Recent Examples on the WebCarly Thomas, The Hollywood Reporter, 10 Apr. 2024
The new Middle Eastern or North African category announced by the Office of Management and Budget on Thursday will help shed the cloak of invisibility draped on members of the community, like Salih, for decades, experts say.
—Mirna Alsharif, NBC News, 1 Apr. 2024
New breakthrough raises hopes Rare dreamer anglerfish with ultra-black 'invisibility cloak' spotted in California waters
What makes this deep-sea coral reef different?
—Julia Gomez, USA TODAY, 19 Jan. 2024
Being able to access private services is like a little invisibility cloak, in some ways.
—Lisa Deaderick, San Diego Union-Tribune, 24 Dec. 2023
As a montage of flashback photos featuring Janet since childhood flickered by, the central screen rose to reveal the superstar standing immobile on the circular stage wrapped in a purple hooded cloak.
—Billboard Japan, Billboard, 2 Apr. 2024
Faye and Anna were in thrall to the Kingman, a faceless monster of the woods in a black cloak and light-colored crown.
—Jim Higgins, Journal Sentinel, 25 Mar. 2024
Join 7 others in the comments View Comments Videos posted on social media showed a figure in a cloak and mask emerging from behind a mirror, with children watching on, sounding increasingly horrified.
—Issy Ronald, CNN, 28 Feb. 2024
Videos posted on social media showed a figure in a cloak and mask emerging from behind a mirror, with children watching on, sounding increasingly horrified.
—Cnn.com Wire Service, The Mercury News, 28 Feb. 2024
Jennifer Peltz, arkansasonline.com, 16 Apr. 2024
The romance is not cloaked in irony; neither protagonist is too cool to embarass themselves in the name of love.
—Hannah Giorgis, The Atlantic, 10 Apr. 2024
Each of the contemporary pieces, anonymously strung like shaky rope bridges between the comparative terra firma of the Bach movements, struggled to cloak the rocky, inhospitable terroir of their respective origins.
—Michael Andor Brodeur, Washington Post, 7 Apr. 2024
The five blades are cloaked in aloe soap for a close, soothing shave, and the handle comes with a magnetic mount that sticks to the shower wall for easy access that fends off icky rust.
—Annie Blackman, Allure, 3 Apr. 2024
Serap sat with her back turned to him, cloaked in a trench coat pulled over a midnight black abaya.
—Leif Wenar, WIRED, 2 Apr. 2024
Eyes were softly sculpted with warm taupe shades from the Mothership I: Subliminal Palette to add gentle definition, and lashes that were coated but not cloaked in Dark Star Mascara at the roots only.
—Georgia Day, Vogue, 24 Jan. 2024
In a resonant pre-internet illustration of this thesis, the mayor’s infuriating hypocrisy, cloaked in communal concern and democratic pieties, drives Dr. Stockmann, a man of reason, into an irrational frenzy.
—Charles McNulty, Los Angeles Times, 12 Mar. 2024
She and her family are welcomed by the queen, Isabelle (Robin Wright, gorgeously cloaked in robes, power and snobbery), and her fiancé, Prince Henry (Nick Robinson), who looks oddly sheepish, as if he’d been caught in a lie on his Royal Match profile.
—Tom Gliatto, Peoplemag, 8 Mar. 2024
Noun
Later in the video, a woman wearing a black cloak and silver mask, whom the actor called the Unknown, jumped out and scared the kids.
—Carly Thomas, The Hollywood Reporter, 10 Apr. 2024
The new Middle Eastern or North African category announced by the Office of Management and Budget on Thursday will help shed the cloak of invisibility draped on members of the community, like Salih, for decades, experts say.
—Mirna Alsharif, NBC News, 1 Apr. 2024
New breakthrough raises hopes Rare dreamer anglerfish with ultra-black 'invisibility cloak' spotted in California waters
What makes this deep-sea coral reef different?
—Julia Gomez, USA TODAY, 19 Jan. 2024
Being able to access private services is like a little invisibility cloak, in some ways.
—Lisa Deaderick, San Diego Union-Tribune, 24 Dec. 2023
As a montage of flashback photos featuring Janet since childhood flickered by, the central screen rose to reveal the superstar standing immobile on the circular stage wrapped in a purple hooded cloak.
—Billboard Japan, Billboard, 2 Apr. 2024
Faye and Anna were in thrall to the Kingman, a faceless monster of the woods in a black cloak and light-colored crown.
—Jim Higgins, Journal Sentinel, 25 Mar. 2024
Join 7 others in the comments View Comments Videos posted on social media showed a figure in a cloak and mask emerging from behind a mirror, with children watching on, sounding increasingly horrified.
—Issy Ronald, CNN, 28 Feb. 2024
Videos posted on social media showed a figure in a cloak and mask emerging from behind a mirror, with children watching on, sounding increasingly horrified.
—Cnn.com Wire Service, The Mercury News, 28 Feb. 2024
Verb
Prosecutors say the payments to Cohen were falsely logged as legal fees to cloak their actual purpose.
—Jennifer Peltz, arkansasonline.com, 16 Apr. 2024
The romance is not cloaked in irony; neither protagonist is too cool to embarass themselves in the name of love.
—Hannah Giorgis, The Atlantic, 10 Apr. 2024
Each of the contemporary pieces, anonymously strung like shaky rope bridges between the comparative terra firma of the Bach movements, struggled to cloak the rocky, inhospitable terroir of their respective origins.
—Michael Andor Brodeur, Washington Post, 7 Apr. 2024
The five blades are cloaked in aloe soap for a close, soothing shave, and the handle comes with a magnetic mount that sticks to the shower wall for easy access that fends off icky rust.
—Annie Blackman, Allure, 3 Apr. 2024
Serap sat with her back turned to him, cloaked in a trench coat pulled over a midnight black abaya.
—Leif Wenar, WIRED, 2 Apr. 2024
Eyes were softly sculpted with warm taupe shades from the Mothership I: Subliminal Palette to add gentle definition, and lashes that were coated but not cloaked in Dark Star Mascara at the roots only.
—Georgia Day, Vogue, 24 Jan. 2024
In a resonant pre-internet illustration of this thesis, the mayor’s infuriating hypocrisy, cloaked in communal concern and democratic pieties, drives Dr. Stockmann, a man of reason, into an irrational frenzy.
—Charles McNulty, Los Angeles Times, 12 Mar. 2024
She and her family are welcomed by the queen, Isabelle (Robin Wright, gorgeously cloaked in robes, power and snobbery), and her fiancé, Prince Henry (Nick Robinson), who looks oddly sheepish, as if he’d been caught in a lie on his Royal Match profile.
—Tom Gliatto, Peoplemag, 8 Mar. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'cloak.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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Cite this Entry
“Cloak.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cloak. Accessed 24 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
cloak
1 of 2 noun1
: a long loose outer garment
2
: something that conceals or covers
a cloak of secrecy surrounded the talks
cloak
2 of 2 verb
: to cover or hide with a cloak
Etymology
Noun
Middle English cloke "cloak," from early French cloque "cloak, bell"; so named because a cloak resembled a bell in shape — related to clock
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Merriam-Webster unabridged
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