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

Other Words from conceal

concealable \ kən-ˈsē-lə-bəl

\ adjective

concealingly \ kən-ˈsē-liŋ-lē

\ adverb

concealment \ kən-ˈsēl-mənt

\ noun

Synonyms & Antonyms for conceal

Synonyms

Antonyms

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 The scores of tree trunks can conceal a stalking tyrannosaur all too easily, with perhaps only the snap of a branch or the screech of an alarmed bird to provide any warning. — Riley Black, Smithsonian Magazine, 26 Apr. 2022 In both cases, aggressive virtue signals may conceal political agendas that are not in the interest of consumers, investors, workers or voters. — James Freeman, WSJ, 25 Apr. 2022 Cabinet panels conceal appliances, including the 30-inch column refrigerator and freezer pair, which are next to a pantry cabinet housing a coffee maker and small appliances. — Mary Colurso | Mcolurso@al.com, al, 16 Apr. 2022 Leaving the sixth green, Woods shrugged his shoulders impishly and covered his mouth to — barely — conceal a grin. — Bill Pennington, New York Times, 7 Apr. 2022 Even as voters look set to give him another term, many can barely conceal their distaste for him, as a know-it-all disconnected from hardship, who has ducked the campaign trail while on the world stage. — Time, 1 Apr. 2022 The longer CEOs and leaders ignore or only give lip service to loneliness, the more people will conceal their feelings. — Ryan Jenkins, Fortune, 31 Mar. 2022 There is a classical frieze of lichen and pine cones; wood shavings conceal checkerboard tiles. — Gary Shteyngart, Town & Country, 31 Mar. 2022 In homes fortunate enough to have power, residents conceal their lights at night behind makeshift blackout curtains. — Los Angeles Times, 25 Mar. 2022 See More

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")