shroud

1 of 2

noun

ˈshrau̇d 

especially Southern ˈsrau̇d

1

: burial garment : winding-sheet, cerement

2

: something that covers, screens, or guards: such as

a

: one of two flanges that give peripheral support to turbine or fan bedding

b

: a guard (as of ceramic or fiberglass) that protects a spacecraft from the heat of launching

3

a

: one of the ropes leading usually in pairs from a ship's mastheads to give lateral support to the masts

b

: one of the cords that suspend the harness of a parachute from the canopy

4

obsolete : shelter, protection

Illustration of shroud

• 1 shroud 3a

shroud

2 of 2

verb

shrouded; shrouding; shrouds

transitive verb

1

a

: to cut off from view : obscure

trees shrouded by fog

this point is shrouded in uncertainty

—Henry James

b

: to veil under another appearance (as by obscuring or disguising)

shrouded the decision in a series of formalities

2

: to dress for burial

3

a

archaic : to cover for protection

b

obsolete : conceal

intransitive verb

archaic : to seek shelter

Synonyms of shroud

Noun

• veil
• cloak
• wraps
• pall
• blanket

Verb

• conceal
• hide
• obscure
• cover
• veil
• mask
• cloak
• curtain

Examples of shroud in a Sentence

Noun

the truth of the affair will always be hidden under a shroud of secrecy

Verb

The mountains were shrouded in fog.

Their work is shrouded in secrecy.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Some researchers have theorized that these curious small galaxies could harbor black holes that are buried in thick shrouds of cosmic dust. — Robert Lea, Space.com, 6 July 2026

Recent ideas suggest that little red dots could be black holes cocooned in thick gas, possibly representing a completely new type of object called a black hole star, in which the tight shroud of gas emits light like a stellar atmosphere. — Quanta Magazine, 2 July 2026

Verb

And the strikes’ legal justification, which has been shrouded in secrecy, is now being tested in federal court. — Marie-Rose Sheinerman, The Atlantic, 6 July 2026

Dense fog shrouded the Golden Gate Bridge and masked the city's fireworks display. — Bart Jansen, USA Today, 5 July 2026

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English, garment, from Old English scrūd; akin to Old English scrēade shred — more at shred entry 1

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 4

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 3a

Phrases Containing shroud

• futtock shroud

Rhymes for shroud

• bowed
• browed
• cloud
• cowed
• crowd
• dowd
• loud
• ploughed
• plowed
• proud
• sowed
• stroud

Kids Definition

shroud

1 of 2 noun

ˈshrau̇d 

1

: the cloth placed over or around a dead body

2

: something that covers or shelters like a shroud

a shroud of secrecy

3

: one of the ropes that go from the masthead of a ship to the sides to provide support to the mast

shroud

2 of 2 verb

: to cover with or as if with a shroud

shrouded in fog