1
as in costumes
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
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2
as in guises
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
1
as in masks
to change the dress or looks of so as to conceal true identity
the spies disguised themselves as harmless tourists
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in hides
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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of disguises
Justin Chang, New Yorker, 10 Apr. 2026
The reality series on Fox, which sees celebrity contestants don over-the-top disguises and compete karaoke-style, crowned it's champion Wednesday, April 1.
—Anna Kaufman, USA Today, 2 Apr. 2026
Certain menu items, though, feel like fan favorites made to wear cumbersome disguises, while entrees outside of the burger don’t always feel as essential as the smaller plates.
—Cesar Hernandez, San Francisco Chronicle, 27 Mar. 2026
Former Patriots defensive coordinator Matt Patricia brought NFL disguises to an Ohio State defense that could have three defenders picked in the top 10 in this year’s draft.
—Ted Nguyen, New York Times, 5 Mar. 2026
The use of disguises or other misrepresentations by immigration authorities has drawn attention in recent months, after federal agents were seen posing as utility workers and other service employees in Minneapolis and elsewhere.
—Jake Offenhartz The Associated Press, Arkansas Online, 27 Feb. 2026
From droppings-mimicking spiders in Borneo to a tiny gecko tucked under bark in India, these creatures have been quietly perfecting their disguises while science is only now catching up — one DNA barcode, one micro-CT scan at a time.
—Hanna Wickes, Miami Herald, 27 Feb. 2026
Figaro disguises Almaviva as a drunken soldier, and later as a music teacher, to sneak into Barbaro’s home and secretly win Rosina’s hand before revealing his true identity.
—Pam Kragen, San Diego Union-Tribune, 15 Feb. 2026
Coach Mike Macdonald is also a master at dialing up disguises and should be able to do so against a Patriots line that can be susceptible.
—Baltimore Sun Staff, Baltimore Sun, 7 Feb. 2026
Fiona Embleton, Glamour, 6 Mar. 2026
Shortly after arriving at the home just after midnight, Nelson downloaded a phone app that disguises the phone number of incoming calls.
—Nick Ferraro, Twin Cities, 27 Feb. 2026
But Rosina has also caught the eye of the wealthy bachelor Count Almaviva, who disguises himself as a poor student to serenade Rosina from the street outside Bartolo’s home in Seville.
—Pam Kragen, San Diego Union-Tribune, 8 Feb. 2026
This approach disguises the fact that your primary bedroom has two mattresses in it, while bringing in a dash of luxury.
—Michelle Mastro, The Spruce, 7 Feb. 2026
Destitute and determined not to become collateral damage, Rae disguises herself as a man and becomes employed at a squalid turpentine camp in Georgia named Swallow Hill.
—Amanda Favazza, Southern Living, 6 Feb. 2026
The defensiveness disguises the admission that With Heaven on Top does indeed boast a robust production, one teeming with horns and backing vocals, all set to a big beat designed to echo throughout the stadiums Bryan now headlines.
—Stephen Thomas Erlewine, Pitchfork, 13 Jan. 2026
That big picture also disguises some fascinating trends.
—Ian King, CNBC, 17 Dec. 2025
To do so, Charlotte disguises him as Leroy.
—Louis Peitzman, Vulture, 8 Dec. 2025
Noun
Within the parameters of a game—where non-player characters essentially function as different disguises for, and manifestations of, a single narrative engine—such paranoia might not be unjustified.
—Justin Chang, New Yorker, 10 Apr. 2026
The reality series on Fox, which sees celebrity contestants don over-the-top disguises and compete karaoke-style, crowned it's champion Wednesday, April 1.
—Anna Kaufman, USA Today, 2 Apr. 2026
Certain menu items, though, feel like fan favorites made to wear cumbersome disguises, while entrees outside of the burger don’t always feel as essential as the smaller plates.
—Cesar Hernandez, San Francisco Chronicle, 27 Mar. 2026
Former Patriots defensive coordinator Matt Patricia brought NFL disguises to an Ohio State defense that could have three defenders picked in the top 10 in this year’s draft.
—Ted Nguyen, New York Times, 5 Mar. 2026
The use of disguises or other misrepresentations by immigration authorities has drawn attention in recent months, after federal agents were seen posing as utility workers and other service employees in Minneapolis and elsewhere.
—Jake Offenhartz The Associated Press, Arkansas Online, 27 Feb. 2026
From droppings-mimicking spiders in Borneo to a tiny gecko tucked under bark in India, these creatures have been quietly perfecting their disguises while science is only now catching up — one DNA barcode, one micro-CT scan at a time.
—Hanna Wickes, Miami Herald, 27 Feb. 2026
Figaro disguises Almaviva as a drunken soldier, and later as a music teacher, to sneak into Barbaro’s home and secretly win Rosina’s hand before revealing his true identity.
—Pam Kragen, San Diego Union-Tribune, 15 Feb. 2026
Coach Mike Macdonald is also a master at dialing up disguises and should be able to do so against a Patriots line that can be susceptible.
—Baltimore Sun Staff, Baltimore Sun, 7 Feb. 2026
Verb
Crafted into undone bends, the style disguises flyaways and limp ends.
—Fiona Embleton, Glamour, 6 Mar. 2026
Shortly after arriving at the home just after midnight, Nelson downloaded a phone app that disguises the phone number of incoming calls.
—Nick Ferraro, Twin Cities, 27 Feb. 2026
But Rosina has also caught the eye of the wealthy bachelor Count Almaviva, who disguises himself as a poor student to serenade Rosina from the street outside Bartolo’s home in Seville.
—Pam Kragen, San Diego Union-Tribune, 8 Feb. 2026
This approach disguises the fact that your primary bedroom has two mattresses in it, while bringing in a dash of luxury.
—Michelle Mastro, The Spruce, 7 Feb. 2026
Destitute and determined not to become collateral damage, Rae disguises herself as a man and becomes employed at a squalid turpentine camp in Georgia named Swallow Hill.
—Amanda Favazza, Southern Living, 6 Feb. 2026
The defensiveness disguises the admission that With Heaven on Top does indeed boast a robust production, one teeming with horns and backing vocals, all set to a big beat designed to echo throughout the stadiums Bryan now headlines.
—Stephen Thomas Erlewine, Pitchfork, 13 Jan. 2026
That big picture also disguises some fascinating trends.
—Ian King, CNBC, 17 Dec. 2025
To do so, Charlotte disguises him as Leroy.
—Louis Peitzman, Vulture, 8 Dec. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for disguises
Noun
-
Entertainers and guests’ costumes alike were incredible.—
Jaclyn Cosgrove,
Los Angeles Times,
10 Apr. 2026
-
The show’s costumes were later refined after initial backlash to early images shared by Murphy.—
Lexi Carson,
HollywoodReporter,
10 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
By the time my story about him was published in the November 2023 issue of Vanity Fair, Aryeh Dodelson, and all of his guises, had disappeared from the face of the earth.—
Nate Freeman,
Vanity Fair,
3 Apr. 2026
-
In its many guises, idolatry has survived, despite regular and often cataclysmic proof of its dangers, for centuries and many people will consider a much-larger-than-life golden statue of a president to be perfectly splendid.—
Culture Critic,
Los Angeles Times,
1 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
But Elham, a contentious and fiercely competitive student, suspects that Marjan’s zeal for anglophone culture, including Hollywood romantic comedies, masks a resentment for the Iranian life she is now stuck with.—
Theater Critic,
Los Angeles Times,
11 Apr. 2026
-
That parity masks the significant gains women have recently made in the labor market.—
Andrea Hsu,
NPR,
10 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Wall hooks catch sun hats or coats, depending on the season, and the vintage Oushak rug hides stains with its existing patina.—
Betsy Cribb Watson,
Southern Living,
16 Apr. 2026
-
This party-girl persona hides a tender heart.—
E.R. Pulgar,
Pitchfork,
16 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Webbing from grand facades were narrow streets where cats sunned in doorways and artisans claimed corners for their craft, unfolding a space of inclusive second chances.—
Marlise Kast-Myers,
Boston Herald,
12 Apr. 2026
-
Completed around 1570 in northern Italy, the Villa Rotonda features symmetrical facades and harmonious proportions that have been equated with Renaissance humanism and rationalism.—
Kevin D. Murphy,
The Conversation,
10 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Segel makes Dan a bitterly perceptive geek, out of his depth but eager to prove himself, while Weaving invests Lisa with a snappishness that only camouflages her pain.—
Owen Gleiberman,
Variety,
15 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
In fact, Nicky and Morgan’s middle-class respectability conceals an overwhelming existential paralysis.—
Inkoo Kang,
New Yorker,
9 Apr. 2026
-
The unit neatly conceals up to 20 pairs of shoes while keeping them ventilated and organized, with extra space for purses and other accessories.—
Mariana Best,
Better Homes & Gardens,
30 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
While some of the women who came here willingly embraced ISIS ideology and passed it on to their children, many others say they were trafficked or lured to the region through ignorance or under false pretenses.—
Jane Arraf,
NPR,
11 Apr. 2026
-
Court records said Dintaman, 47, pleaded guilty last October to one count each of conspiracy to commit false pretenses over $100,000, uttering and publishing, forgery and using a computer to commit a crime.—
Nick Lentz,
CBS News,
5 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Disguises.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/disguises. Accessed 18 Apr. 2026.
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