1
a
: a length of cloth worn by women as a covering for the head and shoulders and often especially in Eastern countries for the face
specifically
: the outer covering of a nun's headdress
b
: a length of veiling or netting worn over the head or face or attached for protection or ornament to a hat or headdress
a bridal veil
c
: any of various liturgical cloths
especially
: a cloth used to cover the chalice
2
: the life of a nun
—often used in the phrase take the veil
3
: a concealing curtain or cover of cloth
4
: something that resembles a veil
a veil of stars
especially
: something that hides or obscures like a veil
lift the veil of secrecy
veiled; veiling; veils
: to cover, provide, obscure, or conceal with or as if with a veil
: to put on or wear a veil
Synonyms
Examples of veil in a Sentence
Noun
Veils of moss draped the trees.
under the veil of descending darkness the thieves began their operation
Verb
Her eyes were partially veiled by her long, dark hair.
The sun was veiled by clouds.
Recent Examples on the Web
Leif Coorlim, CNN, 12 Apr. 2024
McRae shared a post on Instagram marking the anniversary, too, which included the same video of Taylor-Joy and photo of the couple with their friends, but also a solo shot of the actress in her wedding dress with a long white veil.
—Julia Moore, Peoplemag, 10 Apr. 2024
There, for up to 4 minutes and 28 seconds, the sun will all but disappear behind the dark veil of the moon.
—Emily Mae Czachor, CBS News, 7 Apr. 2024
Posted on her socials Thursday (April 4), the snapshot finds the rapper posing in platform heels, a barely-there bikini bottom and an angelic veil held up in the back by two helper doves.
—Hannah Dailey, Billboard, 5 Apr. 2024
That structure features a design scheme known as the veil and the vault.
—Jessica Gelt, Los Angeles Times, 28 Mar. 2024
Through a combination of interviews, archival material and behind-the-scenes footage, the series lifts the veil behind how one of the most prestigious dance programs emerged from Liberty City, one of Miami’s most historically underserved communities.
—C. Isaiah Smalls Ii, Miami Herald, 11 Apr. 2024
Like a lot of the standby songs and commentaries on his 2023 tour and now (following a sick-day pause) the ‘24 outing, this particular standout has to do with his most recurring theme of recent years, live and on record: the thin veil between life and death.
—Chris Willman, Variety, 7 Apr. 2024
Money illusion — the common human failure to pierce the veil imposed by inflation — has obscured that reality.
—Jeff Sommer, New York Times, 5 Apr. 2024
Tiziana Cardini, Vogue, 23 Apr. 2024
Walk out onto the pier, where local kids like to jump off, and soak in the sweeping vistas of the bay, veiled in rain clouds and teeming with vibrant greenery.
—Kathleen Wong, Travel + Leisure, 21 Apr. 2024
White clouds veiled the sun, and a few ethereal rays came through.
—Dhruv Khullar, The New Yorker, 15 Apr. 2024
In doing so, such a policy may also veil opportunities for building better ties with small and middle-sized states by addressing their individual interests.
—Comfort Ero, Foreign Affairs, 1 Apr. 2024
Traditional banks are known for their rigorous loan application processes, veiled in complex jargon and strict requirements.
—Melissa Houston, Forbes, 30 Mar. 2024
With the sheer veiled glow trending in beauty, the highlighter is the ideal complement to a second-skin makeup look.
—India Espy-Jones, Essence, 29 Mar. 2024
Replete with bubble-gum-pink pastels, vertigo-inducing oils and spindly bronzes, the exhibition is a reminder that art, at its best, is gripping, veiled in delicacy and calibrated to shock.
—Angelica Aboulhosn, Smithsonian Magazine, 27 Mar. 2024
Tucked in a Lake Norman cove, veiled by beer, wine, cheese and live music, a 70-year-old business owner raked in money — and kept too much for herself, authorities say.
—Julia Coin, Charlotte Observer, 29 Feb. 2024
Noun
And certainly, the Covid-19 pandemic ripped the veil down on the vulnerability of our global supply chains, and the fact that the world’s most vulnerable people were hit hardest and fastest by that pandemic each and every time.
—Leif Coorlim, CNN, 12 Apr. 2024
McRae shared a post on Instagram marking the anniversary, too, which included the same video of Taylor-Joy and photo of the couple with their friends, but also a solo shot of the actress in her wedding dress with a long white veil.
—Julia Moore, Peoplemag, 10 Apr. 2024
There, for up to 4 minutes and 28 seconds, the sun will all but disappear behind the dark veil of the moon.
—Emily Mae Czachor, CBS News, 7 Apr. 2024
Posted on her socials Thursday (April 4), the snapshot finds the rapper posing in platform heels, a barely-there bikini bottom and an angelic veil held up in the back by two helper doves.
—Hannah Dailey, Billboard, 5 Apr. 2024
That structure features a design scheme known as the veil and the vault.
—Jessica Gelt, Los Angeles Times, 28 Mar. 2024
Through a combination of interviews, archival material and behind-the-scenes footage, the series lifts the veil behind how one of the most prestigious dance programs emerged from Liberty City, one of Miami’s most historically underserved communities.
—C. Isaiah Smalls Ii, Miami Herald, 11 Apr. 2024
Like a lot of the standby songs and commentaries on his 2023 tour and now (following a sick-day pause) the ‘24 outing, this particular standout has to do with his most recurring theme of recent years, live and on record: the thin veil between life and death.
—Chris Willman, Variety, 7 Apr. 2024
Money illusion — the common human failure to pierce the veil imposed by inflation — has obscured that reality.
—Jeff Sommer, New York Times, 5 Apr. 2024
Verb
Handmade tatami mats were also customized, veiled in sheer black Setchu fabric, while ceramic stools had a removable lid that can be used as an ikebana tray; ceremonial candles were made with organic wax.
—Tiziana Cardini, Vogue, 23 Apr. 2024
Walk out onto the pier, where local kids like to jump off, and soak in the sweeping vistas of the bay, veiled in rain clouds and teeming with vibrant greenery.
—Kathleen Wong, Travel + Leisure, 21 Apr. 2024
White clouds veiled the sun, and a few ethereal rays came through.
—Dhruv Khullar, The New Yorker, 15 Apr. 2024
In doing so, such a policy may also veil opportunities for building better ties with small and middle-sized states by addressing their individual interests.
—Comfort Ero, Foreign Affairs, 1 Apr. 2024
Traditional banks are known for their rigorous loan application processes, veiled in complex jargon and strict requirements.
—Melissa Houston, Forbes, 30 Mar. 2024
With the sheer veiled glow trending in beauty, the highlighter is the ideal complement to a second-skin makeup look.
—India Espy-Jones, Essence, 29 Mar. 2024
Replete with bubble-gum-pink pastels, vertigo-inducing oils and spindly bronzes, the exhibition is a reminder that art, at its best, is gripping, veiled in delicacy and calibrated to shock.
—Angelica Aboulhosn, Smithsonian Magazine, 27 Mar. 2024
Tucked in a Lake Norman cove, veiled by beer, wine, cheese and live music, a 70-year-old business owner raked in money — and kept too much for herself, authorities say.
—Julia Coin, Charlotte Observer, 29 Feb. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'veil.' 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
“Veil.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/veil. Accessed 27 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
veil
1 of 2 noun1
: a piece of cloth or net worn usually by women over the head and shoulders and sometimes over the face
2
: something that covers or hides like a veil
lift the veil of secrecy
veil
2 of 2 verb
: to cover with or as if with a veil
Medical Definition
veil
noun
: a covering body part or membrane
especially
: caul sense 2
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