guises

Definition of guisesnext
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 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 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
  • Houzz notes that 69 percent of homeowners are opting for different trim and wall colors, indicating a strong preference for varied facades.
    Michele Laufik, Martha Stewart, 3 June 2026
  • This can include easier jobs, like fresh paint jobs on facades and park clean-ups overnight, or more intense projects like refreshing and reimagining attractions.
    Megan duBois, Forbes.com, 28 May 2026
Noun
  • If someone with less skill was attempting a similar thing, the pieces might feel like costumes.
    Rachel Elspeth Gross, Forbes.com, 6 June 2026
  • This planet has a wide variety of aliens that come to life with a variety of prosthetics, makeup, props and costumes.
    Chelsea Gohd, Space.com, 5 June 2026
Noun
  • Supporters of the No Kings Act argued that because SB 5 only applied to some officials, it would likely be struck down by federal courts — as was a California bill that sought to prevent immigration agents from wearing masks.
    Seth Klamann, Denver Post, 4 June 2026
  • Clean Air Club provides HEPA air purifiers, and Save the Night Chicago delivers high-quality masks.
    Mikayla Price, CBS News, 4 June 2026
Noun
  • Julio Enciso, Paraguay attacking midfielder, 22 Enciso already has 31 appearances for his country despite his age, and is one of the up-and-coming South American stars.
    Joseph Dycus, Mercury News, 7 June 2026
  • Outside appearances to the contrary, this was a mobile drone-interceptor base, one of hundreds of similar vehicles now scattered around Ukraine.
    Anne Applebaum, The Atlantic, 7 June 2026
Noun
  • According to the Macomb County Prosecutor's Office, 55-year-old Ziad Khalel, of Clinton Township, was arraigned on Tuesday on one count of false pretenses - $1,000 ore more but less than $20,000 and as a habitual offender - second offense.
    DeJanay Booth-Singleton, CBS News, 27 May 2026
  • 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
Noun
  • Katara dresses as this figure from folklore to help immigrants going through tough times.
    Entertainment Weekly, Entertainment Weekly, 3 June 2026
  • Obviously, sweater dresses aren’t going to work for 80-degree weather.
    Kelsey Stiegman, Glamour, 3 June 2026
Noun
  • That’s because the set is made from ribbed fabric that disguises wrinkles well and gives the set a more stylish edge.
    Jasmine Gomez, Travel + Leisure, 2 June 2026
  • 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
Noun
  • Always, always those little ashen faces.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 29 May 2026
  • The faces of the movement, from the models fronting natural-hair campaigns to the content creators filming wash-day tutorials, were overwhelmingly young—women like Chizi Duru, who is now 30; Whitney White, now 40; and Shaneice Crystal, now 31.
    Annie Blay-Tettey, Allure, 29 May 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Guises.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/guises. Accessed 9 Jun. 2026.

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