masquerade

1 of 2

noun

mas·​quer·​ade ˌma-skə-ˈrād How to pronounce masquerade (audio)
1
a
: a social gathering of persons wearing masks and often fantastic costumes
b
: a costume for wear at such a gathering
2
: an action or appearance that is mere disguise or show

masquerade

2 of 2

verb

masqueraded; masquerading

intransitive verb

1
a
: to disguise oneself
also : to go about disguised
b
: to take part in a masquerade
2
: to assume the appearance of something one is not
masquerader noun

Examples of masquerade in a Sentence

Noun She could not keep up the masquerade any longer. although she was deeply bored, she maintained a masquerade of polite interest as her guest droned on Verb He was masquerading under a false name.
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
The very end of the Season 3 finale teased the beginning of Benedict’s love story might have been coming soon as Eloise (Claudia Jessie) — who is off to Scotland with Francesca — promises to be back in time for their mother’s famous masquerade ball. Katie Campione, Deadline, 11 Sep. 2024 The West Indian American Day Parade, with its intricate and colorful masquerade costumes, vibrant soca music, and vendors selling a tantalizing array of Caribbean dishes, attracts nearly two million participants every Labor Day. Kizzy Cox, Essence, 5 Sep. 2024
Verb
Well, Dune: Part Two is one of those rare instances of a cinematic artistic masterpiece masquerading as a blockbuster. Baz Bamigboye, Deadline, 17 Oct. 2024 Kudos Bars Kudos Bars were really just candy bars masquerading as granola bars, often covered with M&Ms or Snickers bits. Kara Nesvig, Parents, 10 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for masquerade 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'masquerade.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle French, from Old Italian dialect mascarada, from Old Italian maschera mask

First Known Use

Noun

1587, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

1677, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of masquerade was in 1587

Dictionary Entries Near masquerade

Cite this Entry

“Masquerade.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/masquerade. Accessed 31 Oct. 2024.

Kids Definition

masquerade

1 of 2 noun
mas·​quer·​ade ˌmas-kə-ˈrād How to pronounce masquerade (audio)
1
: a party (as a dance) at which people wear masks and often fantastic costumes
2
: an action or appearance that is only a disguise or outward show : pose

masquerade

2 of 2 verb
masqueraded; masquerading
1
: to take part in a masquerade
2
: to assume the appearance of something one is not : pose
masquerader noun

More from Merriam-Webster on masquerade

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!