1
as in pretense
a display of emotion or behavior that is insincere or intended to deceive
he allowed himself to dine at fine restaurants all over the world under the guise of research for his book on international cuisine
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in costume
clothing chosen as appropriate for a specific situation
she felt as though she should be wearing some sort of Germanic guise, complete with dirndl, for the fall festival featuring traditional German food and drink
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in mask
clothing put on to hide one's true identity or imitate someone or something else
he sneaked into the castle to rescue Ivanhoe in the guise of a priest coming to give Ivanhoe his last rites
Synonyms & Similar Words
4
as in appearance
outward and often deceptive indication
hazing rituals may have the guise of harmless fun, but often the reality is serious physical abuse
Synonyms & Similar Words
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 guise
In addition to using the guise of filmmaking to dupe one victim, another individual was told funds handed to Brown were for real estate investments.
—
Kevin Dolak, HollywoodReporter, 28 Aug. 2025
This is a gentle way to alert him to the certificate situation, while legitimately veiling it under the more polite guise that your concern is really about her health.
—Judith Martin, Sun Sentinel, 16 Aug. 2025
Bad actors can take on all kinds of guises—including pretending to be lawyers.
—Kelly Phillips Erb, Forbes.com, 15 Aug. 2025
Universities selling out to Trump under guise of antisemitism crackdown?
—The Hill, 14 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for guise
Kevin Dolak, HollywoodReporter, 28 Aug. 2025
This is a gentle way to alert him to the certificate situation, while legitimately veiling it under the more polite guise that your concern is really about her health.
—Judith Martin, Sun Sentinel, 16 Aug. 2025
Bad actors can take on all kinds of guises—including pretending to be lawyers.
—Kelly Phillips Erb, Forbes.com, 15 Aug. 2025
Universities selling out to Trump under guise of antisemitism crackdown?
—The Hill, 14 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for guise
Recent Examples of Synonyms for guise
Noun
-
By showing both timelines, director Cato Kusters resists using Julian’s illness as a plot device, encouraging us to watch these women without the pretense of melodrama.—
Jourdain Searles,
HollywoodReporter,
9 Sep. 2025
-
But not everyone accepts that pretense.—
Miranda Jeyaretnam,
Time,
1 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
The costumes were the perfect nondescript counterpoint to Lamar’s trend-launching look.—
Lauren Collins,
New Yorker,
15 Sep. 2025
-
There will be trick-or-treating for kids through downtown shops and Halloween costume parties for adults throughout island establishments in the evening.—
Jenna Prestininzi,
Freep.com,
15 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
And when the hydration from masks, oils, and butters isn’t cutting it, there’s steaming, something curly hair girls already know very well, says Kiana Rae Brown, a curly hair specialist and owner of West Coast Curls Salon in Los Angeles.—
Megan McIntyre,
Allure,
16 Sep. 2025
-
Hortman and her husband, Mark, were allegedly assassinated by Vance Boelter, who dressed as a police officer with a realistic silicone mask, at their home in the early hours of June 14.—
Brady Knox,
The Washington Examiner,
16 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Meanwhile, at New York Fashion Week, Dylan O'Brien graced the runway alongside an adorable (and furry) sidekick in a surprise appearance.—
Catherine Santino,
PEOPLE,
12 Sep. 2025
-
Secondary markets buy what the primary market won’t take, then channel it into ingredients for buyers and processors where appearance doesn’t matter, without sacrificing taste or quality.—
Ivanka Trump,
Fortune,
12 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
When Simone decides to grasp Kiki’s life for herself by starting an affair with Peter, though, Michaela’s beatific facade slips.—
Roxana Hadadi,
Vulture,
10 Sep. 2025
-
Today, its Portland stone façade and arched windows still speak to that Victorian grandeur, but inside the story has shifted.—
Lauren Mowery,
Forbes.com,
10 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
So, what are the odds of Eli in Mike Ditka garb (sweater vest, mustache and glasses, of course)?—
Steven Louis Goldstein,
New York Times,
8 Sep. 2025
-
Like the French in their pre-WWII garb last season, all the Spaniards appear to wear clothing from another era entirely (see above image).—
Erik Kain,
Forbes.com,
7 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
He’s been known to use low folding screens as camouflage for radiators, and all sizes as room dividers—a trick Wilson employs as well.—
Monika Biegler Eyers,
Better Homes & Gardens,
11 Sep. 2025
-
The containerized system also supports camouflage and concealment in contested environments.—
Kapil Kajal,
Interesting Engineering,
8 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Character details for the new faces are under wraps, as Deadline exclusively reported.—
Natalie Oganesyan,
Deadline,
13 Sep. 2025
-
He’s gone viral for opposing Republican state lawmakers moving to add the Ten Commandments to public classrooms, and at another point for criticizing those lawmakers for not adopting stricter gun laws in the face of mass shootings.—
Lauren Green,
The Washington Examiner,
13 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Guise.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/guise. Accessed 18 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share