DISGUISE Synonyms: 155 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: How does the verb 'disguise' differ from other similar words?

The words cloak and mask are common synonyms of disguise . While all three words 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

Q: When is 'cloak' a more appropriate choice than 'disguise'?

The words cloak and disguise are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, cloak suggests a means of hiding a movement or an intention. // cloaked their maneuvers in secrecy

Q: When might 'mask' be a better fit than 'disguise'?

The synonyms mask and disguise are sometimes interchangeable, but mask suggests some often obvious means of hiding or disguising something. // smiling to mask his discontent

disguise 1 of 2

noun

Definition of disguise

as in costume

clothing put on to hide one's true identity or imitate someone or something else Mardi Gras revelers dressed in a colorful array of outlandish disguises

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

as in guise

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 & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

disguise

2 of 2

verb

də-ˈskīz

as in to camouflage

to change the dress or looks of so as to conceal true identity the spies disguised themselves as harmless tourists

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in to conceal

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 & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb disguise differ from other similar words?

The words cloak and mask are common synonyms of disguise. While all three words 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

When is cloak a more appropriate choice than disguise?

The words cloak and disguise are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, cloak suggests a means of hiding a movement or an intention.

cloaked their maneuvers in secrecy

When might mask be a better fit than disguise?

The synonyms mask and disguise are sometimes interchangeable, but mask suggests some often obvious means of hiding or disguising something.

smiling to mask his discontent

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 disguise

Noun

The practical question, then as now, is whether universalism is an expensive disguise for redistribution or the only way redistribution can endure. — Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 5 Oct. 2026 Despite disguises, they were recognized by a man outside, who raised the alarm. — Encyclopedia Britannica, 2 Oct. 2026

Verb

Lincoln Center’s Vivian Beaumont has the quality of certain savvily conceived larger theaters of being able to either disguise or display its size. — Sara Holdren, Vulture, 30 Oct. 2026 Its texture also disguises sheet wrinkles and lies super flat without much effort at all. — Julia Harrison, Architectural Digest, 29 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for disguise

Recent Examples of Synonyms for disguise

Noun

Pro Silver Star is also seeking a preliminary injunction on the use of the costumes.

— Maven Navarro, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 28 Oct. 2026
The family-friendly festivities include trick-or-treating bags for the first 250 children younger than 12 in the vendor and tattoo rooms on Saturday, plus a kids’ costume contest where every participating child wins and specialty drinks.

— Patrick Connolly, The Orlando Sentinel, 28 Oct. 2026

Definition of costume

Noun

The guise of a youthful flush In those early episodes, Cathy’s makeup had to mirror her hair’s equally nonthreatening appearance, so a fresh, skin-first look was important.

— Katie Gunderman, Allure, 21 Oct. 2026
Under his guise of Guy With a Movie Camera, he’s been hired by studios and streamers to help promote their projects with his particular brand of BTS content.

— Seija Rankin, HollywoodReporter, 21 Oct. 2026

Definition of guise

Verb

Definitely go for a dip, preferably at night under the impossibly starry sky, in one of the onsen pools camouflaged into the Japanese rock garden.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 23 Oct. 2026
This one, in particular, has a body-skimming fit that’s sleek enough to tuck into jeans or skirts, plus a nice ribbed design that camouflages bra lines.

— Alyssa Grabinski, PEOPLE, 12 Oct. 2026

Definition of camouflage

Verb

Clements is charged with two counts of first-degree homicide by vehicle, hit and run resulting in serious injury or death, stalking, and concealing the death of another.

— Dan Raby, CBS News, 28 Oct. 2026
Carvajal also rejected the suggestion that the group activated disappearing messages to conceal threats.

— Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 28 Oct. 2026

Definition of conceal

Noun

Instead of conditioner, Richards says to swap it in with a hair mask to keep your cuticles healthy—Mena adds that this step is especially important for blondes, brunettes, and redheads.

— Jennifer Hussein, Allure, 1 Nov. 2026
Its mask of around 52,000 tiny lead tiles will almost certainly melt.

— Leonard David, Space.com, 1 Nov. 2026

Definition of mask

Verb

Russian tech companies are scrambling to harden and hide their data centers underground after Ukrainian drone strikes damaged facilities housing AI supercomputers and disrupted cloud services for millions of Russian users.

— Jeremy Hsu, ArsTechnica, 3 Nov. 2026
Check the plant’s foliage for pests occasionally, paying particular attention to the undersides of leaves, where spider mites, scale and aphids like to hide.

— ABC News, ABC News, 3 Nov. 2026

Definition of hide

Verb

Tornado Cash obscures transaction trails by mixing cryptocurrency deposits and withdrawals.

— Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 29 Oct. 2026
Flock fights to obscure 100,000 cameras For Flock protesters, cases like the one in Florida are disturbing, since Flock appears to take great pains to obscure who owns cameras where and how large its camera network is.

— Ashley Belanger, ArsTechnica, 28 Oct. 2026

Definition of obscure

Browse Nearby Words

disgruntling

disguise

disguised

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Disguise.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/disguise. Accessed 5 Nov. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of disguise

noun

verb

Synonym Chooser

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

effrontery

Popular in Grammar & Usage

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Popular in Wordplay

Great Big List of Beautiful and Useless Words, Vol. 5

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

7 Words for Old-Timey Vehicles

Ten More Words from Taylor Swift Songs

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Popular

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

Great Big List of Beautiful and Useless Words, Vol. 5

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Games & Quizzes