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 Throughout the weekend, Dudamel embraced the worlds of Hollywood, Latin music in many guises and old-fashioned rock. Classical Music Critic, Los Angeles Times, 26 Aug. 2026 With their traditional, legacy rivals — the Manchester clubs, Liverpool, Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur — in various guises of transition, Arsenal are suddenly the team to beat and the Emirates is suddenly a library of sound; noise please. George Caulkin, New York Times, 25 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 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 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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for guises
Noun
  • When the idea of turning facades into power plants comes up, most people picture solar panels bolted onto rooftops.
    Zev Laine, Forbes.com, 10 Sep. 2026
  • The changing colors in Blue Sea Sky draw inspiration from its surroundings, including the blue ocean waters, green palm fronds, orange sunsets, and pink Art Deco neon facades.
    Francesca Aton, ARTnews.com, 4 Sep. 2026
Noun
  • The memorable costumes, codified in fashion history halls, including the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and their influence on modern fashion are the unmistakable legacy of Mackie, who died at age 87.
    Alexandra Del Rosario, Los Angeles Times, 14 Sep. 2026
  • After seeing Gaynor’s Vegas extravaganza, Burnett recruited Mackie to design the costumes for The Carol Burnett Show.
    Maureen Lee Lenker, HollywoodReporter, 14 Sep. 2026
Noun
  • The company does topical political protest shows using music, acting, masks, puppets and community spirit.
    Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 6 Sep. 2026
  • Matching silk sleep masks help block out light, and silk bonnets are designed to help protect hair from breakage and frizz while locking in natural oils.
    ABC News, ABC News, 5 Sep. 2026
Noun
  • In 573 plate appearances, William Contreras has hit 14 long balls, tallied 74 RBIs and scored 73 runs.
    Data Skrive, New York Times, 6 Sep. 2026
  • The doc follows Oasis across 12 concerts on three continents during their Live ’25 tour, the band’s first live appearances since their acrimonious split back in 2009.
    Scott Roxborough, HollywoodReporter, 5 Sep. 2026
Noun
  • The strategic mistake of invading Iraq on false pretenses was then compounded by tactical errors.
    Foreign Affairs, Foreign Affairs, 18 Aug. 2026
  • Johnson created the story of Nancy (Emilia Jones), who is not a girlfriend, but a crush who Bourdain foolhardily (and under false pretenses) follows to Provincetown after not getting a writing fellowship.
    Chris O'Falt, IndieWire, 6 Aug. 2026
Noun
  • The Legacy rendition has comfy mid-20th century furniture, business suits for the men and groovy dresses for the friendly female neighbors, The Pigeon Sisters.
    Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 16 Sep. 2026
  • Reese said that vibrant, fit-and-flare dresses are a signature for the brand.
    Lisa Lockwood, Footwear News, 16 Sep. 2026
Noun
  • Graham will bring more coverage disguises to a team that was sometimes predictable.
    Jeff Zrebiec, New York Times, 11 Sep. 2026
  • The thieves wore no disguises or face coverings according to a report by Vienna’s police department.
    News Desk, Artforum, 28 Aug. 2026
Noun
  • Folding small clothes; washing little faces; sunscreen; a million snacks.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 15 Sep. 2026
  • And the looming reality underpinning all of it is that, at some point between now and 2030, some (not all) of the current main characters, the faces of the program, could begin to fade.
    Henry Bushnell, New York Times, 15 Sep. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Guises.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/guises. Accessed 17 Sep. 2026.

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