conceal

verb

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con·ceal | \ kən-ˈsēl

concealed; concealing; conceals

Definition of conceal

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.

Other Words from conceal Synonyms & Antonyms Choose the Right Synonym More Example Sentences Learn More about conceal

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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 Johnston concealed a small knife smuggled into HCSO detention facility, according to an HCSO news release. — Danny Hermosillo, Houston Chronicle, "Houston man accused of stabbing great-grandparents found with knife in jail, according to sheriff," 31 Dec. 2019 The singer also concealed her face with a black scarf so just her eyes were peaking out. — Halie Lesavage, Glamour, "Rihanna Made an Undercover Visit to a Winter Market in London and No One Noticed," 24 Dec. 2019 The former executive, once a confidante of Chief Executive Officer Tidjane Thiam, used a contractor to spy on former human resources head Peter Goerke and concealed evidence of the surveillance, the statement said. — Fortune, "Credit Suisse CEO Exonerated Second Time as Bouee Takes Fall," 23 Dec. 2019 Tinieblas, who is 80, conceals his identity even though he is retired from wrestling. — Washington Post, "Mexican wrestlers thrill public at historic Metro station," 22 Dec. 2019 Police suggest people keep their purses under their jackets or otherwise concealed, or consider not carrying a purse. — Mara H. Gottfried, Twin Cities, "Shocking video: Woman robbed in St. Paul, dragged by car," 19 Dec. 2019 The black cats are likely better concealed at night, but the variant may also allow cats to warm faster in the sun or even ward off certain parasites. — Riley Black, Smithsonian, "Why Are Black Leopards So Rare?," 18 Dec. 2019 Between May 2017 and January 2019, the group helped to conceal, transport and broker the contents of those footlockers. — Chase Hunter, azcentral, "4 indicted in theft of lockers full of toy cars donated to Toys for Tots," 17 Dec. 2019 Even the Buckeyes who spoke with an understanding of the business decisions that sometimes come with the sport could not conceal some hurt feelings in the immediate aftermath. — Nathan Baird, cleveland, "What does Jeff Hafley’s eventual departure mean for Ohio State football?," 16 Dec. 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'conceal.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

History and Etymology for conceal

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")