Merriam-Webster Logo
SINCE 1828
Menu
dictionary thesaurus

Thesaurus

disguise

noun

Synonyms and Antonyms of disguise

1 clothing put on to hide oneʼs true identity or imitate someone or something else

  • Mardi Gras revelers dressed in a colorful array of outlandish disguises
Synonyms of disguise

camouflage, costume, guise
Words Related to disguise

domino, mask, veil, visor (also vizor), vizard

costumery, dress, getup, outfit, rig

coloring, cosmetic, makeup, paint

2 a display of emotion or behavior that is insincere or intended to deceive

  • somehow, he managed to put on a disguise of happiness as he watched his secret crush marry someone else
Synonyms of disguise

act, airs, charade, facade (also façade), front, guise, masquerade, playacting, pose, pretense (or pretence), put-on, semblance, show
Words Related to disguise

impersonation, performance, portrayal

image, persona

appearance, color, gloss

camouflage, cloak

affectation, deceit, deception, dissembling, dissimulation, double-dealing, duplicity, fakery, fraud, guile

betrayal, double cross, faithlessness, falseness, falsity, infidelity, perfidy, treachery, treason, unfaithfulness

excuse, pretext
Near Antonyms of disguise

bluntness, candidness, candor, directness, forthrightness, frankness, openheartedness, outspokenness, plainspokenness, sincerity, straightforwardness

artlessness, genuineness, naïveté (also naivete)

disguise

verb

Synonyms and Antonyms of disguise

1 to change the dress or looks of so as to conceal true identity

  • the spies disguised themselves as harmless tourists
Synonyms of disguise

camouflage, cloak, dress up, mask
Words Related to disguise

blanket, blot out, conceal, cover, curtain, enshroud, hide, obscure, occult, screen, shroud, veil

affect, assume, counterfeit, dissemble, dissimulate, feign, pose, pretend, sham, simulate

act, fake, impersonate, masquerade, play

cosmeticize, gild, gloss (over), varnish, whitewash
Near Antonyms of disguise

display, exhibit, expose, flaunt, parade, show, uncloak, unclothe, uncover, undrape, unveil

bare, betray, disclose, discover, divulge, expose, reveal
Antonyms of disguise

unmask

2 to keep secret or shut off from view

  • that investigative reporter usually does a good job of disguising her true motives for interviewing a person
Synonyms of disguise

belie, blanket, blot out, cloak, conceal, cover, curtain, enshroud, hide, mask, obscure, occult, paper over, screen, shroud, suppress, veil
Words Related to disguise

bury, camouflage, cover (up), smother

gild, gloss (over), varnish, whitewash

becloud, bedim, befog, block, cloud, darken, eclipse, obstruct, occlude, overcast, overshadow, shade
Near Antonyms of disguise

bring out, present

clarify, illuminate

advertise, air, broadcast, get out, proclaim, publicize, publish, spread
Antonyms of disguise

bare, disclose, display, divulge, expose, reveal, show, uncloak, uncover, unmask, unveil

Synonym Discussion of disguise

disguise, cloak, mask mean to alter the dress or appearance of so as to conceal the identity or true nature. disguise implies a change in appearance or behavior that misleads by presenting a different apparent identity.
    • disguised herself as a peasant
cloak suggests a means of hiding a movement or an intention.
    • cloaked their maneuvers in secrecy
mask suggests some often obvious means of hiding or disguising something.
    • smiling to mask his discontent

Learn More about disguise

  1. Dictionary: Definition of disguise Spanish Central: Translation of disguise Nglish: Translation of disguise for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of disguise for Arabic speakers

Seen and Heard

What made you want to look up disguise? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).

show comments hide comments

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Words at Play

Ask the Editors

Word Games