mask 1 of 2

Definition of masknext
1
as in costume
a cover or partial cover for the face used to disguise oneself an elaborate mask that would be suitable for a fancy masquerade ball

Synonyms & Similar Words

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mask

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verb

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb mask differ from other similar words?

The words cloak and disguise are common synonyms of mask. While all three words mean "to alter the dress or appearance of so as to conceal the identity or true nature," mask suggests some often obvious means of hiding or disguising something.

smiling to mask his discontent

When is cloak a more appropriate choice than mask?

Although the words cloak and mask have much in common, cloak suggests a means of hiding a movement or an intention.

cloaked their maneuvers in secrecy

When can disguise be used instead of mask?

The words disguise and mask can be used in similar contexts, but disguise implies a change in appearance or behavior that misleads by presenting a different apparent identity.

disguised herself as a peasant

How does the verb mask differ from other similar words?

The words cloak and disguise are common synonyms of mask. While all three words mean "to alter the dress or appearance of so as to conceal the identity or true nature," mask suggests some often obvious means of hiding or disguising something.

smiling to mask his discontent

When is cloak a more appropriate choice than mask?

Although the words cloak and mask have much in common, cloak suggests a means of hiding a movement or an intention.

cloaked their maneuvers in secrecy

When can disguise be used instead of mask?

The words disguise and mask can be used in similar contexts, but disguise implies a change in appearance or behavior that misleads by presenting a different apparent identity.

disguised herself as a peasant

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 mask
Noun
Manavoglu had been preparing food at Stalex Pizza on Norfolk Street when Johnson came in wearing a mask and pointed a gun at him. Rick Sobey, Boston Herald, 21 Mar. 2026 The law contained exceptions for medical masks, tactical gear and a few other things. Arkansas Online, 20 Mar. 2026
Verb
Swelling can mask contours for weeks, and subtle structural settling can continue for months—particularly in tip work. Miami Herald, 17 Mar. 2026 Houser recommends a quick nightly spritz of a fabric and air refresher to neutralize odors instead of trying to mask them, in order to prevent them from setting in overnight. Maria Sabella, The Spruce, 16 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for mask
Recent Examples of Synonyms for mask
Noun
  • And in 1929 Chanel designed costumes for Apollon Musagète dancers, whose tunics were belted with Charvet ties.
    Marisa Meltzer, Vanity Fair, 24 Mar. 2026
  • One can already picture her van packed to the brim with trampolines, inflatable dolphins, pig masks, Pierrot-esque clown costumes, and one of those rainbow parachutes from elementary school gym class.
    Nina Corcoran, Pitchfork, 24 Mar. 2026
Noun
  • Not one to be outdone in the gothic department, Hamnet director Chloé Zhao wore a black veil from ​​designer Gabriela Hearst, who also did her black gown, on the red carpet.
    Marisa Meltzer, Vanity Fair, 17 Mar. 2026
  • Clad in a long black veil, a necklace shaped like an Ouroboros snake, and a tiered leathery gown, Zhao looked like something Drusilla dreamed up during Buffy’s original run.
    Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 15 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • But there’s no disguising the noise.
    Noo Saro-Wiwa, The Dial, 24 Mar. 2026
  • Unlike most of Bumpboxx's other offerings, this isn't just a speaker disguised as a boombox.
    New Atlas, New Atlas, 24 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • People who dislike Minnelli’s singing maintain that her outer bombast conceals an inner void.
    Matt Weinstock, New Yorker, 25 Mar. 2026
  • In the time between his fleeing and capture, authorities say he was indicted by a DeKalb County grand jury for allegedly helping conceal the death of Anthony Woodland.
    Dan Raby, CBS News, 23 Mar. 2026
Noun
  • The humidity wraps around us like a wet cloak pierced only by the relentlessness of the mosquitoes.
    Arati Menon, Condé Nast Traveler, 10 Mar. 2026
  • In the years after the monarchy was overthrown, the government required women to wear dark, long, baggy cloaks with socks and sensible shoes.
    Ashley Miznazi, Miami Herald, 1 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • Segel makes Dan a bitterly perceptive geek, out of his depth but eager to prove himself, while Weaving invests Lisa with a snappishness that only camouflages her pain.
    Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 15 Mar. 2026
  • Hanson, who spends much of his life crawling through underbrush to count trees, plunged ahead into stands of chest-high ceanothus, pointing out sequoias camouflaged in the pervasive post-fire brush.
    Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 13 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • Justin Cappos, a professor of computer science at New York University, who studies software supply-chain security, likens the attack to a typewriter hiding a second message in plain sight.
    Deni Ellis Béchard, Scientific American, 21 Mar. 2026
  • As a main guideline, think about ribcage jeans as an opportunity to actually showcase your waist rather than hiding it.
    Dino Bonačić, Glamour, 21 Mar. 2026
Noun
  • He had been released by the Philadelphia Phillies in February amid a shroud of controversy regarding his relationship with manager Rob Thomson and others in the organization.
    Kevin Acee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 15 Mar. 2026
  • Many of its songs crystallize around samples of choirs singing, their soft syllables dissolving beneath heavy shrouds of reverb.
    Sasha Geffen, Pitchfork, 10 Mar. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Mask.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mask. Accessed 26 Mar. 2026.

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