GUISE Synonyms: 124 Similar and Opposite Words

guise

noun

ˈgīz

Definition of guise

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

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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

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

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 Volkswagen refers to the Cruise as a concept, but perhaps it will be shown in near-production guise. — New Atlas, 17 Aug. 2026 Somewhere between a sandal and a ballet flat, caged silhouettes come in all manner of guises. — Sarah Leigh Bannerman, Condé Nast Traveler, 7 July 2026 Everything from the division of the Peaches and the Plums to Shamea’s tagline this season is a secret cry from Shamea to Porsha, begging for attention under the guise of her own emancipation. — Ile-Ife Okantah, Vulture, 29 June 2026 After examining her injury, Brito began to caress and massage Patient 1’s foot under the guise of providing care. — David J. Neal, Miami Herald, 28 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for guise

Recent Examples of Synonyms for guise

Noun

The staff is incredibly friendly and helpful—don't expect any pretense here, just genuine (and enjoyable) engagement.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 9 Oct. 2026
Tom’s frugality also lured Nancy into the business on the pretense of spending more time together.

— Tim Graham, New York Times, 1 Oct. 2026

Definition of pretense

Noun

The series puts an all-Korean cast in Western Baroque costume and was shot largely in Europe.

— Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 7 Oct. 2026
Have your camera ready when arriving or departing, as the staff usually perform an entertaining song and dance in traditional costumes.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Oct. 2026

Definition of costume

Noun

Prue barely even acknowledges the guy riding a unicycle past her local coffee shop while playing the bagpipes from under a Darth Vader mask.

— David Ehrlich, IndieWire, 11 Oct. 2026
An illusion who has to smoke through his COVID mask and juggle packages and doughnut shop coffee, but an illusion nonetheless.

— Roberta Mercuri, Vanity Fair, 10 Oct. 2026

Definition of mask

Noun

The story centers on a transfer student’s enigmatic bond with a teacher, as a string of unexplained, supernatural incidents cracks the school’s polished facade.

— Ophélie Surcouf, Variety, 10 Oct. 2026
As Ray goes down the rabbit hole, the shiny facade of Metropia and Megamax (which is, notably and obviously evil from the start) begin to crumble.

— Kate Erbland, IndieWire, 10 Oct. 2026

Definition of facade

Noun

There will be snacks, drinks, live music, kid crafts, a bouncy house, a handful of actors in Shakespearean garb and scads of neighbors being neighborly.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 2 Oct. 2026
Inside each room, guests can slip into traditional Japanese house garb (provided complimentary by the hotel), admire modern decor by designer Tony Chi, or take a dip in the jacuzzi-style tub.

— Audrey Lee, Architectural Digest, 30 Sep. 2026

Definition of garb

Noun

Another showed Lee on the floor of a gym in chocolate-chip camouflage pants, doing a situp while a German shepherd holds down his feet.

— Eamon Javers, CNBC, 30 Sep. 2026
Many scientists thought those stripes were an example of disruptive camouflage, combining counter-shading with blending into the background.

— Jennifer Ouellette, ArsTechnica, 30 Sep. 2026

Definition of camouflage

Noun

Perched high in the cliffs, built into the rock face overlooking the sea, and within view of the sweet fishing village of Conca dei Marini, the property is just a quick drive to Amalfi, but still feels a million miles away from the tourists.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 7 Oct. 2026
As the hundreds of thousands of people made their way down the narrow roads following the politician, a few rerouted into the industry event, still carrying big flags and with faces lit up with hope.

— Rafa Sales Ross, Variety, 7 Oct. 2026

Definition of face

Browse Nearby Words

guilty

guise

guises

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Style

“Guise.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/guise. Accessed 12 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of guise

noun

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