Synonym Chooser

How is the word conceal distinct from other similar verbs?

Some common synonyms of conceal are bury, hide, screen, and secrete. While all these words mean "to withhold or withdraw from sight," conceal usually does imply intent and often specifically implies a refusal to divulge.

concealed the weapon

When would bury be a good substitute for conceal?

While the synonyms bury and conceal are close in meaning, bury implies covering up so as to hide completely.

buried the treasure

Where would hide be a reasonable alternative to conceal?

The synonyms hide and conceal are sometimes interchangeable, but hide may or may not suggest intent.

hide in the closet
a house hidden in the woods

When might screen be a better fit than conceal?

The words screen and conceal are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, screen implies an interposing of something that prevents discovery.

a house screened by trees

When is secrete a more appropriate choice than conceal?

While in some cases nearly identical to conceal, secrete suggests a depositing in a place unknown to others.

secreted the amulet inside his shirt

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of conceal Shoplifting by concealing, third offense. Flint McColgan, Boston Herald, 10 Oct. 2025 Sullivan, the drill instructor whose hardened exterior conceals his own private battles. Jp Mangalindan, Time, 9 Oct. 2025 And, fittingly for a couple who met on Carpool Karaoke, there’s a serious karaoke setup concealed behind custom cabinetry in the living room. Catherine Hong, Architectural Digest, 8 Oct. 2025 In research and clinical trials, ILC is typically combined with the more common IDC, which can conceal many of its own key unique appearance and growth characteristics, according to the study authors. Hannah Millington, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for conceal
Recent Examples of Synonyms for conceal
Verb
  • There’s no attempt to hide the staging, although the accompanying musicians are mostly unseen.
    Will Hermes, Rolling Stone, 19 Oct. 2025
  • In December 1978, Gacy confessed to kidnapping, raping and murdering dozens of boys and men, some as young as 14 years old, and hiding many of their bodies in a crawl space under the house.
    Jessica Sager, PEOPLE, 18 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • The department, run by State Superintendent Jill Underly, relies on a rudimentary system to track its investigations, obscuring the scale of misconduct for policymakers and the public.
    Danielle DuClos, jsonline.com, 17 Oct. 2025
  • Instead, two wannabe criminals, with their faces obscured by pantyhose, simply walk into the local art museum and rip the paintings right off the walls.
    Haadiza Ogwude, Cincinnati Enquirer, 17 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • In the end, Kate convinces the prime minister to bury both the sub and the Poseidon in concrete on the ocean floor, instead of it getting taken away.
    Christopher Rudolph, PEOPLE, 17 Oct. 2025
  • To detect these elusive particles, scientists are working to build enormous instruments (neutrino observatories) in the quietest environments possible, such as deep underwater or buried in ice.
    Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 17 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • The Secret Commonwealth is the condemnation of a world where imagination—not making things up, but a way of seeing, understanding, feeling the world—is suppressed by the dual forces of cold rationality and religious fundamentalisms that breed authoritarianism.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 17 Oct. 2025
  • That power is often used to unfairly influence elections through massive campaign donations, to interfere with independent journalism by buying media outlets, and to suppress competition in markets.
    Scott Ellis, Time, 17 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • With over a decade-long career in journalism, Neetika Walter has worked with The Economic Times, ANI, and Hindustan Times, covering politics, business, technology, and the clean energy sector.
    Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 16 Oct. 2025
  • Haley Willis is a Times reporter with the Visual Investigations team, covering conflict, corruption and human rights.
    Danny Makki, New York Times, 16 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • The perpetrator may have better disguised their actions, or stalking behavior might just be less visible, like surveilling a person online.
    Shelly Bradbury, Denver Post, 13 Oct. 2025
  • That job will only ever be a trojan horse to disguise the idea that started to flow from your pen night after night.
    Dana Harris-Bridson, IndieWire, 13 Oct. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Conceal.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/conceal. Accessed 20 Oct. 2025.

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