as in to suppress
to keep from being publicly known
the governor vainly tried to cover up the growing scandal
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in veil
something that covers or conceals like a piece of cloth
that contrived burglary was just a cover-up for murder
Synonyms & Similar Words
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 cover (up)
Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 8 May 2026
The money, hidden in furniture, was never reported through standard police channels, prompting the former intelligence chief in 2022 to file a criminal complaint alleging a cover-up, money laundering, and unlawful use of Ramaphosa’s bodyguards to track down suspects.
—Tiisetso Motsoeneng, semafor.com, 8 May 2026
Seaside destinations call for cover-up dresses—preferably knit, preferably colorful—and flowy silhouettes that’ll take you from the beach club to the dinner reservation.
—Elly Leavitt, Vogue, 8 May 2026
Hough draped a sheer black cover-up over her shoulders and shielded her eyes with a pair of oversized brown sunglasses.
—Ashley Hume, FOXNews.com, 7 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for cover (up)
Noun
The conspiracy theorists, YouTubers, and tin-foil hatters have long kept the UFO conversation alive, pushing claims of hidden sightings, secret programs, and government cover-ups into mainstream culture.
—Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 8 May 2026
The money, hidden in furniture, was never reported through standard police channels, prompting the former intelligence chief in 2022 to file a criminal complaint alleging a cover-up, money laundering, and unlawful use of Ramaphosa’s bodyguards to track down suspects.
—Tiisetso Motsoeneng, semafor.com, 8 May 2026
Seaside destinations call for cover-up dresses—preferably knit, preferably colorful—and flowy silhouettes that’ll take you from the beach club to the dinner reservation.
—Elly Leavitt, Vogue, 8 May 2026
Hough draped a sheer black cover-up over her shoulders and shielded her eyes with a pair of oversized brown sunglasses.
—Ashley Hume, FOXNews.com, 7 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for cover (up)
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cover (up)
Verb
-
Dramatic currents, once suppressed, here bloom unashamed.—
Russell Platt,
New Yorker,
20 May 2026
-
Keith arrests our thinking, and cons us into suppressing our critical faculties with the same kind of internalized surveillance that philosopher Michel Foucault broke down to describe a prison’s use of the panopticon in Discipline and Punish.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
19 May 2026
Noun
-
Two page boys earned their royal keep while carrying Meghan’s veil into the chapel.—
Nicole Briese,
PEOPLE,
19 May 2026
-
For much of the evening, Gaga sang with her back to the audience, her face shrouded by a hood or veil, as if to shun the spotlight.—
Steven J. Horowitz,
Variety,
15 May 2026
Noun
-
The kitchen includes a large island and a breakfast area close to a cloak and powder room nearby.—
Kaitlyn Keegan,
Hartford Courant,
12 May 2026
-
But now, at 31, the Drain Gang rapper still maintains a certain cloak of invisibility in the country.—
Nina Corcoran,
Pitchfork,
8 May 2026
Noun
-
For the young man watching her, the dress becomes the shroud of his dream of infinite pleasure.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
11 May 2026
-
Graves are dug by hand and bodies are only buried in caskets or shrouds made of biodegradable materials like bamboo or cotton.—
Dorany Pineda,
Fortune,
2 May 2026
Noun
-
On one side is a Himalayan salt room with comfy lounge chairs and cozy blankets, and the other has two mud rooms with showers that can be reserved for an apply-it-yourself mud treatment.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
16 May 2026
-
Planning Will Matter SafeTravel Iceland recommends allowing extra time, preparing for delays, carrying food and water, filling the fuel tank, bringing warm clothing and blankets, and not relying on being able to buy supplies en route.—
David Nikel,
Forbes.com,
16 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Cover (up).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cover%20%28up%29. Accessed 21 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
