cover-up
noun
cov·er-up
ˈkə-vər-ˌəp 
1
a
: a device or stratagem for masking or concealing
his garrulousness is a cover-up for insecurity
b
: a usually concerted effort to keep an illegal or unethical act or situation from being made public
2
: a loose outer garment
Examples of cover-up in a Sentence
that contrived burglary was just a cover-up for murder
Recent Examples on the Web
Daytime attire skews practical, heavy on athleisure, beach cover-ups, and tennis whites.
—
Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 8 Jan. 2026
Teigen, 40, posted a video of the whole family in waterpoor, hooded cover-ups while blue slime was poured all over them.
—Escher Walcott, PEOPLE, 6 Jan. 2026
Nina Dobrev danced into 2026 wearing a parade of tiny loud luxury bikinis and matching cover-ups in a video shared on January 5.
—Lara Walsh, InStyle, 6 Jan. 2026
In subsequent social media posts, Buck shared before and after photos of the cover-up.
—Jordy Fee-Platt, New York Times, 5 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for cover-up
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Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 8 Jan. 2026
Teigen, 40, posted a video of the whole family in waterpoor, hooded cover-ups while blue slime was poured all over them.
—Escher Walcott, PEOPLE, 6 Jan. 2026
Nina Dobrev danced into 2026 wearing a parade of tiny loud luxury bikinis and matching cover-ups in a video shared on January 5.
—Lara Walsh, InStyle, 6 Jan. 2026
In subsequent social media posts, Buck shared before and after photos of the cover-up.
—Jordy Fee-Platt, New York Times, 5 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for cover-up
Cite this Entry
“Cover-up.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cover-up. Accessed 10 Jan. 2026.
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