conceal

verb

con·​ceal kən-ˈsēl How to pronounce conceal (audio)
concealed; concealing; conceals

transitive verb

1
: to prevent disclosure or recognition of
conceal the truth
She could barely conceal her anger.
2
: to place out of sight
concealed himself behind the door
The defendant is accused of attempting to conceal evidence.
concealable adjective
concealingly adverb
concealment noun
Choose the Right Synonym for conceal

hide, conceal, screen, secrete, bury mean to withhold or withdraw from sight.

hide may or may not suggest intent.

hide in the closet
a house hidden in the woods

conceal usually does imply intent and often specifically implies a refusal to divulge.

concealed the weapon

screen implies an interposing of something that prevents discovery.

a house screened by trees

secrete suggests a depositing in a place unknown to others.

secreted the amulet inside his shirt

bury implies covering up so as to hide completely.

buried the treasure

Examples of conceal in a Sentence

The sunglasses conceal her eyes. The controls are concealed behind a panel. The defendant is accused of attempting to conceal evidence. The editorial accused the government of concealing the truth. She could barely conceal her anger.
Recent Examples on the Web These associates, Vadim Wolfson and Gannon Bond, were charged with helping Kostin evade sanctions by maintaining a $12 million property in Aspen, Colo., for Kostin’s benefit while concealing his ownership. Catherine Belton, Washington Post, 14 Mar. 2024 The simple old-meets-new adaptive design saw modern-minded mechanics enhance the bones of this 400-year-plus building with secret tunnels to conceal complex geothermal technology. Juliet Kinsman, Condé Nast Traveler, 13 Mar. 2024 Michael Hart, 58, of San Diego, is accused of buying coolants in Mexico and smuggling them over the border in his vehicle, concealing the canisters under a tarp and tools. Dionne Searcey, New York Times, 9 Mar. 2024 Court records state that when the inmate was later searched, jail staff discovered Suboxone concealed inside a nicotine pouch container. Quinlan Bentley, The Enquirer, 8 Mar. 2024 Details about its inner workings, including the ownership and management structure, are concealed from employees, who say they were discouraged from discussing it at the office. William Turton, WIRED, 5 Mar. 2024 Hartmann was then seen taking a white envelope from the center console of the vehicle, inspecting its contents and concealing it on his person. Adrienne Davis, Journal Sentinel, 5 Mar. 2024 The first criminal case against Trump, brought by prosecutors in New York, accuses him of illegally concealing hush money payments to adult film star Stormy Daniels before the 2016 election. Jonathan Shorman, Kansas City Star, 2 Mar. 2024 Parrinello said the super-wealthy were able to conceal their money and avoid paying hefty taxes by, for example, parking it in holding companies, trust funds or using it as collateral against loans. Anna Cooban, CNN, 1 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'conceal.' 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

Middle English concelen, borrowed from Anglo-French conceler, borrowed from Latin concēlāre, from con- con- + cēlāre "to hide, keep secret," probably derivative of an unattested lengthened-grade noun formed from the Indo-European verb base *ḱel- "cover, conceal," whence Latin occulere "to hide from view, keep secret" (from *ob-cel-), Old Irish ceilid "(s/he) hides," Welsh celaf "(I) hide," Germanic *hel-a- "hide" (whence Old English, Old Saxon & Old High German helan "to hide, keep secret")

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of conceal was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near conceal

Cite this Entry

“Conceal.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/conceal. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

conceal

verb
con·​ceal kən-ˈsē(ə)l How to pronounce conceal (audio)
1
: to keep secret
conceal a fact
2
: to hide from sight
carry a concealed weapon
concealable adjective
concealer noun

Legal Definition

conceal

transitive verb
con·​ceal
1
: to prevent disclosure of or fail to disclose (as a provision in a contract) especially in violation of a duty to disclose
2
a
: to place out of sight

Note: A weapon need only be placed out of ordinary observation in order to be considered a concealed weapon.

b
: to prevent or hinder recognition, discovery, or recovery of
concealing stolen property
concealment noun

More from Merriam-Webster on conceal

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