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masquerade 1 of 2

noun

ˌma-skə-ˈrād How to pronounce masquerade (audio)
Definition of masqueradenext
as in facade
a display of emotion or behavior that is insincere or intended to deceive although she was deeply bored, she maintained a masquerade of polite interest as her guest droned on

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

masquerade

2 of 2

verb

as in to pose

Related 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 masquerade
Noun
But the maison will also have a trio of exclusive treatments on offer at Hotel Cipriani, which were crafted to honor Christian Dior’s love of masquerade balls and Venice. — Nicole Hoey, Robb Report, 27 July 2026 The yearly convention includes panel discussions, movie and television showings, an exhibitor hall, outdoor activations, a masquerade ball and more. — Ut Community Press, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 July 2026
Verb
At times during his bombastic, table-shaking, enigmatic career, the singer, arranger, musician, and producer came off as a restless indie artist masquerading as a multiplatinum megastar. — Keith Murphy, VIBE.com, 7 June 2026 For his part, Amato was a techno sophisticate masquerading as a party monster. — Walden Green, Pitchfork, 23 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for masquerade
Recent Examples of Synonyms for masquerade
  1. facade
  2. pose
  3. pretense
  4. pretend
  5. show
  6. impersonate
  7. guise
  8. act
Noun
  • Pastel Colonial buildings lined the streets, their facades glowing in the afternoon sun, while the plazas hummed with life.
    — Chantelle Kincy, Travel + Leisure, 19 Sep. 2026
  • On the façade of the giant concrete structure that was once intended to solve that problem, a sign written in Russian and Spanish remains visible despite the passing years.
    — Juan Carlos López, CNN Money, 19 Sep. 2026
Definition of facade
Verb
  • On Sunday, the Buffy the Vampire Slayer alum celebrated her daughter’s 17th birthday with a sweet snap of the mother and daughter posing for the camera.
    — Shania Russell, Entertainment Weekly, 21 Sep. 2026
  • Southerly winds gusting at 30 mph late Monday could pose challenges to containing the fire.
    — Sean Macaday, Sacbee.com, 21 Sep. 2026
Definition of pose
Noun
  • Cinematic pretense and the kinds political leaders and media personalities use to sell ideas are often one and the same.
    — Vikram Murthi, IndieWire, 14 Sep. 2026
  • For one season, before recovery and routine returned, the players stripped away all pretense and showed their hearts and willpower.
    — Jerry Brewer, New York Times, 9 Sep. 2026
Definition of pretense
Verb
  • The surviving witness fell to the floor, pretending to be dead, and called 911 once Lee left the store.
    — CBS News, CBS News, 17 Sep. 2026
  • Members of these networks share detailed guides on how to identify vulnerable girls online and groom them by pretending to have a romantic interest or be a supportive friend.
    — Clara Harter, Los Angeles Times, 17 Sep. 2026
Definition of pretend
Noun
  • The emcee invites the UGT cast onstage to start the magic show Luann has been eagerly anticipating.
    — Ile-Ife Okantah, Vulture, 21 Sep. 2026
  • There’s lots of them, and Peter’s quite involved with those as a master of ceremonies and doing his own show as well.
    — Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 20 Sep. 2026
Definition of show
Verb
  • In one scene, Simpson put on a prosthetic nose and a face of white makeup to impersonate an elderly, white man eager to call the numbers at a bingo game.
    — Kalia Richardson, USA Today, 9 Sep. 2026
  • Those reports can help Amazon identify developing scam campaigns and bad actors impersonating the company.
    — Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 9 Sep. 2026
Definition of impersonate
Noun
  • As critics such as Antonio Candido have remarked, regionalism was at bottom an attempt to render Latin American reality in its dominant rural guise.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 4 Sep. 2026
  • Throughout the weekend, Dudamel embraced the worlds of Hollywood, Latin music in many guises and old-fashioned rock.
    — Classical Music Critic, Los Angeles Times, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of guise
Verb
  • This is thought to happen because the social transmission of stories acts like evolution.
    — Hannah Little, Scientific American, 20 Sep. 2026
  • In June, the co-founder of the citizen watchdog group, DeFlock Idaho, Tyler Cain, filed a pair of tort claims against the cities of Caldwell and Wilder — civil claims which act as possible precursors to lawsuits.
    — Idaho Statesman, Idaho Statesman, 20 Sep. 2026
Definition of act

Phrases Containing masquerade

Browse Nearby Words

masque
masquerade
masquerade (as)
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Cite this Entry

“Masquerade.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/masquerade. Accessed 23 Sep. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on masquerade

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about masquerade

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