Definition of dissemble
dissembled
;dissembling
play \-b(ə-)liŋ\transitive verb
1 : to hide under a false appearance dissembling the facts
2 : to put on the appearance of : simulate She lay down and dissembled sleep.
intransitive verb
: to put on a false appearance : conceal facts, intentions, or feelings under some pretense He had dissembled about the risks involved.
From the M-W Editors
dissemble was our Word of the Day on 11/10/2012. Hear the podcast!
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Examples of dissemble in a Sentence
he dissembled happiness at the news that his old girlfriend was getting married—to someone else
children learn to dissemble at a surprisingly early age
Recent Examples of dissemble from the Web
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As commentators across the ideological spectrum have come to see, Hillary Clinton’s ongoing dissembling about the 2016 election has finally veered into something like absurdist comedy.
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'dissemble'. Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Did You Know?
We don't have anything to hide: "dissemble" is a synonym of "disguise," "cloak," and "mask." "Disguise" implies a change in appearance or behavior that misleads by presenting a different apparent identity. "Cloak" suggests a means of hiding a movement or an intention. "Mask" suggests some often obvious means of hiding or disguising something. "Dissemble" (from Latin dissimulare, meaning "to hide or conceal") stresses the intent to deceive, especially about one's own thoughts or feelings, and often implies that the deception is something that would warrant censure if discovered.
Origin and Etymology of dissemble
Middle English dissymblen, alteration of dissimulen, from Middle French dissimuler, from Latin dissimulare — more at dissimulate
First Known Use: 15th century
DISSEMBLE Defined for English Language Learners
dissemble
playDefinition of dissemble for English Language Learners
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: to hide your true feelings, opinions, etc.
Learn More about dissemble
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See words that rhyme with dissemble Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for dissemble Spanish Central: Translation of dissemble Nglish: Translation of dissemble for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of dissemble for Arabic speakers
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