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
Relevance
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
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 guises
Bad actors can take on all kinds of guises—including pretending to be lawyers.
—
Kelly Phillips Erb, Forbes.com, 15 Aug. 2025
Kelly Phillips Erb, Forbes.com, 15 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for guises
Noun
-
During the festival, SCAD will introduce new backlot facades as well as plans for two new soundstages and 11 new classrooms set to open in 2026.—
Andrew McGowan,
Variety,
24 Oct. 2025
-
On Wednesday, the team announced the creation of a new way to evaluate the performance of photoactive materials for semi-transparent organic photovoltaics (ST-OPVs), which could transform how energy is harvested through everyday surfaces like windows, screens, and facades.—
Sujita Sinha,
Interesting Engineering,
23 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Kids and adults can have a fun time dressing up and making costumes from scratch.—
Kylie Petty,
Better Homes & Gardens,
25 Oct. 2025
-
Supporters say the inflatable costumes draw attention without violence.—
Sarah Rumpf-Whitten,
FOXNews.com,
25 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
That's why Season of the Witch gives us a different hero (a doctor played by Tom Atkins), a new villain (Dan O'Herlihy), and a wild plot involving costume masks that offer deadly tricks and no treats to those who wear them.—
Chris Snellgrove,
Entertainment Weekly,
25 Oct. 2025
-
This amorphous network of political content feels like a 2020s TikTokified incarnation of what Joshua Citarella mapped out in his book Politigram and the Post-left, tracking ideological microcultures that are more like kids trying on masks.—
Kieran Press-Reynolds,
Pitchfork,
24 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Lukes had one of the big plate appearances, a pinch-hit, RBI walk after falling behind 0-2 against Dodgers righty Emmet Sheehan in the sixth to increase the Jays’ lead to 4-2.—
Ken Rosenthal,
New York Times,
25 Oct. 2025
-
In the 1950s, Lockhart worked mainly in television, with appearances on such shows as Zane Grey Theater, Wagon Train, Gunsmoke, Studio One in Hollywood and The United States Steel Hour.—
Mike Barnes,
HollywoodReporter,
25 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Did Gacy’s attorney, Sam Amirante, agree to represent him on false pretenses and later struggle to be his lawyer?—
Caroline Blair,
PEOPLE,
20 Oct. 2025
-
Harold is so clearly not a great man that his pretenses feel more like cries for help.—
Jeremy Gordon,
The Atlantic,
12 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Add a crewneck sweater to your closet for a timeless look, style a sweater vest over your favorite long-sleeve shirts and dresses, or complete your outfit with accessories like scarves and gloves to stay warm no matter the weather.—
Staff Author,
Southern Living,
30 Oct. 2025
-
Sweater dresses are the backbone of my fall wardrobe.—
Caroline Hughes,
Travel + Leisure,
30 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
The Crinkle Nylon Cinchable Jacket is lightweight and ultra-packable, as the crinkly material disguises wrinkles even after it’s been stuffed in a suitcase.—
Sophie Dodd,
Travel + Leisure,
26 Oct. 2025
-
Adding the 6-4 Ja’Kobi Lane on the outside generates more looks and disguises for the offense.—
Haley Sawyer,
Oc Register,
17 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
But astute viewers will see some other familiar, and perhaps surprising, rock ‘n’ roll faces in the production.—
Gary Graff,
Billboard,
25 Oct. 2025
-
Young children with dragons and cows painted on their small faces eagerly waited in line for kettle corn and ice cream at the many food trucks that lined the outer circle of the farm.—
Sacbee.com,
Sacbee.com,
25 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Guises.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/guises. Accessed 3 Nov. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share