plural masquerades
1
: a party at which people wear masks and often costumes
2
: a way of appearing or behaving that is not true or real
Their happy marriage was all just a masquerade. [=charade]
She could not keep up the masquerade any longer.
masquerades; masqueraded; masquerading
: to pretend to be someone or something else
He was masquerading under a false name.
—usually + asThe movie is about a spy who masquerades as a salesman.
a man masquerading as a woman
Cite this Entry
“Masquerade.” Merriam-Webster.com Simple Definition, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/simple/masquerade. Accessed 19 Jun. 2026.
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