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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show current usage.
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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
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
-
The resulting films were projected on building facades around the community.
-
Video on Venezuelan state television showed buildings missing facades, tilted on their foundations.
Noun
-
Beyond the absurdly catchy music and the rom-com story, part of the show’s joyfulness comes from its colorful costumes and beachy aesthetic.
-
For Midsummer this June, traditional festivities celebrating the summer solstice across Europe featured flower crowns, dances around maypoles, and people in embroidered folk costumes.
Noun
-
From anti-breakage hair masks to multi-use styling tools, these products are too good to pass up.
-
In punishing heat, more people wore masks as the stench of decomposition spread.
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.
-
Messi now has 123 international goals — second all time to Cristiano Ronaldo’s 145 — in 202 appearances.
Noun
-
At school, Jin’s oldest daughter, Jane, teams up with a Black classmate, one of few, to expose their neighbors’ prejudices and pretenses.
-
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.
Noun
-
In 2021, Jeremy Scott made a series of tailored potato sack dresses for Moschino, woven from a linen blend that resembled burlap.
-
Keep a handful near your washing machine or drying rack for blouses, dresses, workout wear, or delicate pieces that should skip the dryer.
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.
-
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.
Noun
-
Big names and big faces on television are bound to have their critics.
-
Every round, both losing players have to put stickers on their faces.
Cite this Entry
“Guises.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/guises. Accessed 3 Jul. 2026.
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