1
as in facades
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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in costumes
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 masks
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 appearances
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
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Recent Examples of guises
Berenger, a character who appears in different guises in several of his plays, is Ionesco’s version of Everyman.
—
Theater Critic, Los Angeles Times, 13 May 2026
Over the years, audiences have seen the Negotiator under many guises, like a martial arts expert, a cowboy, and even a mariachi musician.
—Colson Thayer, PEOPLE, 12 May 2026
Farage has been through various guises.
—Isaac Chotiner, New Yorker, 8 May 2026
These projects reveal the evil lurking underneath the guises of killers who were so often hiding in plain sight.
—Katie Rife, Entertainment Weekly, 7 Apr. 2026
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
But sometimes the squashing of speech can appear in other guises.
—Andrea Valdez, The Atlantic, 14 Mar. 2026
This moment will come in many guises.
—Literary Hub, 3 Mar. 2026
Both marques returned to the competition this year in new guises.
—Viju Mathew, Robb Report, 10 Feb. 2026
Theater Critic, Los Angeles Times, 13 May 2026
Over the years, audiences have seen the Negotiator under many guises, like a martial arts expert, a cowboy, and even a mariachi musician.
—Colson Thayer, PEOPLE, 12 May 2026
Farage has been through various guises.
—Isaac Chotiner, New Yorker, 8 May 2026
These projects reveal the evil lurking underneath the guises of killers who were so often hiding in plain sight.
—Katie Rife, Entertainment Weekly, 7 Apr. 2026
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
But sometimes the squashing of speech can appear in other guises.
—Andrea Valdez, The Atlantic, 14 Mar. 2026
This moment will come in many guises.
—Literary Hub, 3 Mar. 2026
Both marques returned to the competition this year in new guises.
—Viju Mathew, Robb Report, 10 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for guises
Noun
-
All of the buildings have these facades that are intricately carved in Baroque and Rococo designs.—
AFAR Media,
AFAR Media,
11 May 2026
-
Historic preservation is often dismissed as nostalgia, the hobby of people who prefer old facades to modern needs.—
Israel Melendez Ayala,
Time,
6 May 2026
Noun
-
Halloween costumes was the first area Stranger Things expanded into as a brand, followed by dozens of others, from toys and games to live experience to clothing and other consumer products.—
Nellie Andreeva,
Deadline,
22 May 2026
-
From March to November, visitors can see medieval costumes, armor, weaponry, and a replica of a market square and dungeon at the adjacent Athenry Heritage Centre.—
Patricia Doherty,
Travel + Leisure,
22 May 2026
Noun
-
Both use Virtue, a product line of serums, shampoos, and hair masks that prioritize strengthening the hair while promoting growth, hydration, and an overall healthy scalp (the key to it all).—
Reece Andavolgyi,
InStyle,
23 May 2026
-
Kleinman said masks like those ubiquitous with the COVID-19 pandemic wouldn’t help.—
Sierra van der Brug,
Oc Register,
23 May 2026
Noun
-
Three sitting rooms are complemented by a further three members’ social spaces for carousing in, concealed behind a subtle screen (here, DJs including Goldierocks make appearances, and mobile snaps are banned; staff politely place a sticker over mobile camera lenses).—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
18 May 2026
-
The 31-year-old has 101 goals across all competitions in 229 appearances for Nashville.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
18 May 2026
Noun
-
According to Placer Superior Court filings, one false pretenses count and the personal identifying information charge stemmed from a June 21, 2025, incident.—
Sean Campbell,
Sacbee.com,
20 May 2026
-
Officials allege the group sold the oil under false pretenses and used the profits to sustain and expand the original food fraud scheme.—
Bonny Chu,
FOXNews.com,
19 May 2026
Noun
-
From breezy linen pants to packable layers and day-to-night dresses, these pieces are designed to keep you cool and stylish on city breaks and tropical getaways alike.—
Sophie Dodd,
Travel + Leisure,
20 May 2026
-
Evangeline Designs made the 18 bridesmaid dresses in cornflower blue for Fury’s May 16 nuptials with Noah Price on the Isle of Man.—
Rosemary Feitelberg,
Footwear News,
20 May 2026
Noun
-
Players can lean into quiet infiltration with gadgets and disguises, or push for direct firefights and rooftop chase sequences when the situation calls for it.—
Brian Mazique,
Forbes.com,
16 May 2026
-
As a new free safety in Spagnuolo’s defense, Gilman is beginning to understand the importance of communication and alignment, which allow the Chiefs’ pre-snap disguises to work.—
Pete Sweeney
May 7,
Kansas City Star,
7 May 2026
Noun
-
Other famous faces in the crowd included Tim Meadows and Paul Rudd, each of whom similarly angled to appear on the finale episode.—
Jessica Schladebeck,
New York Daily News,
22 May 2026
-
Among the thousands of faces in the stands are, of course, the wives and girlfriends of the star drivers behind the wheel — their families and kids, too!—
Skyler Caruso,
PEOPLE,
22 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Guises.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/guises. Accessed 25 May. 2026.
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