1
as in pretense
a display of emotion or behavior that is insincere or intended to deceive
he allowed himself to dine at fine restaurants all over the world under the guise of research for his book on international cuisine
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in costume
clothing chosen as appropriate for a specific situation
she felt as though she should be wearing some sort of Germanic guise, complete with dirndl, for the fall festival featuring traditional German food and drink
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in mask
clothing put on to hide one's true identity or imitate someone or something else
he sneaked into the castle to rescue Ivanhoe in the guise of a priest coming to give Ivanhoe his last rites
Synonyms & Similar Words
4
as in appearance
outward and often deceptive indication
hazing rituals may have the guise of harmless fun, but often the reality is serious physical abuse
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 guise
The cases range from political agitators seeking to intimidate immigrants to others using the guise of authority to allegedly kidnap, rob or assault victims.
—
Alexandra Banner, CNN Money, 3 Oct. 2025
Also bear in mind that while these benchmark results above outline one optimal implementation of the X2 family, that won’t be the only guise that these chips show up in, by far.
—Wendy Sheehan Donnell, PC Magazine, 29 Sep. 2025
All this reintroduces the problem of arbitrary outcomes, in a different guise.
—Joshua Rothman, New Yorker, 9 Sep. 2025
Unfortunately a recent deep fake has come in the guise of a friend.
—Brittany Allen, Literary Hub, 9 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for guise
Alexandra Banner, CNN Money, 3 Oct. 2025
Also bear in mind that while these benchmark results above outline one optimal implementation of the X2 family, that won’t be the only guise that these chips show up in, by far.
—Wendy Sheehan Donnell, PC Magazine, 29 Sep. 2025
All this reintroduces the problem of arbitrary outcomes, in a different guise.
—Joshua Rothman, New Yorker, 9 Sep. 2025
Unfortunately a recent deep fake has come in the guise of a friend.
—Brittany Allen, Literary Hub, 9 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for guise
Recent Examples of Synonyms for guise
Noun
-
His memoir told of workhouse guards beating prisoners on the least pretense, and of one guard who regularly shoved prisoners down flights of stairs.—
Equal Justice Initiative,
USA Today,
6 Nov. 2025
-
The Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime said in a May report that women from more than 20 African countries had been recruited under false pretences to make drones for Russia’s war.—
Reuters 16 hr ago,
CNN Money,
6 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
Her critique also reflected (and amplified) a widespread suspicion—that trans femininity was always a performance, a costume.—
James Marcus,
New Yorker,
3 Nov. 2025
-
One of the most impressive aspects of Smith’s costume design is the fact that each character, no matter how small, has their own distinct look that still feels of a piece with the overall world.—
Jim Hemphill,
IndieWire,
3 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
In his study of hypocrisy, the political theorist David Runciman argues that the real terror lies when the masks are gone.—
Shadi Hamid,
Time,
3 Nov. 2025
-
Roughly 6 in 10 Americans (57%) say that ICE and Homeland Security agents should not be allowed to wear masks or face coverings while on duty, while about 4 in 10 (41%) say it should be allowed.—
Emily Guskin,
ABC News,
2 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
In 586 plate appearances, George Springer has hit 32 long balls (17th in MLB), tallied 84 RBIs and scored 106 runs (9th in MLB).—
Data Skrive,
New York Times,
31 Oct. 2025
-
He was released from his minor league contract in July of that year after making only three appearances.—
Jon Paul Hoornstra,
MSNBC Newsweek,
31 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
While no major changes to the building's facade are anticipated, the project calls for a one-story addition to its north annex.—
Hannah Kirby,
jsonline.com,
6 Nov. 2025
-
The money, the success — all a facade.—
Becca Longmire,
PEOPLE,
6 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
Rinderknecht appeared in court wearing white jail garb and a chain around his waist, but he was not handcuffed, per FOX 11.—
Ingrid Vasquez,
PEOPLE,
24 Oct. 2025
-
Dancing spirits, dressed in Victorian-era garb, stir up devilry as the night unfolds.—
Abby Hamblin,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
23 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Their first hypothesis was that the bats, which roost in leaf foliage during the summer, use the glow for camouflage.—
Taylor Nicioli,
CNN Money,
29 Oct. 2025
-
Its camouflage exterior and heavy-duty features hide a refined interior that's ready for global adventures.—
Eileen Falkenberg-Hull,
MSNBC Newsweek,
29 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
The photos showed the reality TV star sitting in an emergency room chair holding an ice pack to his face.—
Charlotte Phillipp,
PEOPLE,
26 Oct. 2025
-
Other times, the mob leaned on more traditional crime tactics — robbery, extortion and assault, including a punch to one victim’s face — to force the card players to pay.—
Preston Fore,
Fortune,
25 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Guise.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/guise. Accessed 8 Nov. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share