guises

plural of guise
1
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

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 Footballing success, in differing guises, came a long time ago. Adam Leventhal, New York Times, 10 June 2026 Opponents of affirmative action, who suspect that the process is still continuing under other guises, could seek to replicate the winning strategy of the Harvard and UNC cases, if testing data show large, unexplainable gaps in academic preparation among different student groups. Idrees Kahloon, The Atlantic, 9 June 2026 Dwayne Johnson is a confident guy and has donned any number of ridiculous guises during his Saturday Night Live hosting gigs over the years. Jesse Hassenger, Entertainment Weekly, 28 May 2026 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 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 This moment will come in many guises. Literary Hub, 3 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for guises
Noun
  • With facades facing Seventh Avenue, 498 and 500 Seventh Avenue promised a future for America’s fashion capitol and over time, helped chart the success of Norman Norell, Bill Blass, Donna Karan and Ralph Lauren, among others.
    Tonya Blazio-Licorish, Footwear News, 23 June 2026
  • Decorative limestone and sandstone moldings adorned the building’s facades, while columns made from the same materials enhanced its splendor.
    Maria Mocerino, Interesting Engineering, 20 June 2026
Noun
  • Both spent about $500 to $600 creating their costumes.
    Zaire Breedlove, Charlotte Observer, 28 June 2026
  • It's got the costumes, colors, visuals, it's got the dancing.
    Meredith Wilshere, PEOPLE, 27 June 2026
Noun
  • From anti-breakage hair masks to multi-use styling tools, these products are too good to pass up.
    Genevieve Cepeda, InStyle, 27 June 2026
  • In punishing heat, more people wore masks as the stench of decomposition spread.
    Regina Cano Garcia, Chicago Tribune, 27 June 2026
Noun
  • Angels reliever Ryan Zeferjahn (4-3) struck out two in a scoreless seventh to earn the win and increase his hitless streak to 10 innings, with 19 strikeouts, over his last nine appearances.
    Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 28 June 2026
  • Messi now has 123 international goals — second all time to Cristiano Ronaldo’s 145 — in 202 appearances.
    Schuyler Dixon, Chicago Tribune, 28 June 2026
Noun
  • Fernando Navarro, 53, of Minneapolis, is facing four counts of felony fraud for collecting nearly $70,000 in funds from Minnesota's medical assistance program under false pretenses.
    Riley Moser, CBS News, 23 June 2026
  • However, according to Ryan, Hernandez was a fraud, allegedly seeking money under false pretenses.
    Allison DeGrushe, StyleCaster, 18 June 2026
Noun
  • Public outrage over how a female pop star dresses has, of course, recurred long before Rodrigo became a household name.
    Chelsey Sanchez, CNN Money, 25 June 2026
  • Amazon has marked down everything from matching sets and breezy dresses to flowy palazzo pants that can handle long flights, sightseeing days, and dinner reservations without missing a beat.
    Chaise Sanders, Travel + Leisure, 24 June 2026
Noun
  • These cybercriminals are like the Hollywood movie character Jason Bourne, a highly surreptitious operative who avoids detection through diversion, disguises, deflecting and blending into the environment.
    Eric Herzog, Forbes.com, 23 June 2026
  • Over the years, the team has built a brilliant stealth system that incorporates an open map and disguises, giving players the freedom to take out their mark.
    Gieson Cacho, Mercury News, 17 June 2026
Noun
  • An archaeological excavation in Israel recently revealed ancient faces that haven't been seen in centuries.
    Andrea Margolis, FOXNews.com, 27 June 2026
  • By the end of the debate, about 150 men dressed in Indigenous costumes, their faces smeared with soot, stormed to a nearby wharf and dumped a literal boatload of tea into the water.
    Phaedra Trethan, USA Today, 26 June 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Guises.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/guises. Accessed 30 Jun. 2026.

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