1
2
as in veils
something that covers or conceals like a piece of cloth
his unexpected friendliness is just a mask, for he always has an ulterior motive
Synonyms & Similar Words
1
as in disguises
to change the dress or looks of so as to conceal true identity
the federal agents masked their surveillance vehicle so that it looked like an ordinary moving van
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in hides
to keep secret or shut off from view
masked his real motives for wanting to see the house that was for sale
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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 masks
Chandler Rome, New York Times, 20 June 2026
These pick-me-up masks will give a boost to your self-care routine.
—ABC News, 20 June 2026
Police described the suspects as two men in their late teens or early 20s wearing all-black clothing and masks.
—Joe Brandt, CBS News, 20 June 2026
No evacuation order has been issued, but county officials said the site offers cleaner air, masks, bottled water, nonperishable food and information from public health and air quality officials.
—Sydney Barragan, Daily News, 20 June 2026
Councilmember Ysabel Jurado, who represents Boyle Heights, said local organizations distributed air purifiers and masks to residents within the fire zone.
—Tracy Brown, Los Angeles Times, 19 June 2026
Unlike traditional cotton or cellulose sheet masks, Mixsoon's Bean Collagen Hydrogel Mask molds closely to the skin, helping minimize evaporation and maximize ingredient absorption.
—Christa Joanna Lee, Allure, 18 June 2026
Carrington, who died in 2011, devoted the final 17 years of her life to creating bronze figures and masks, conjuring her chimeric cast out of the canvas and into our own.
—Tessa Solomon, ARTnews.com, 13 June 2026
The Justice Department is suing Virginia over new state laws limiting federal immigration enforcement, including a ban on federal agents wearing masks.
—Liam Bowman, Washington Post, 13 June 2026
Britton Bloch, Forbes.com, 12 June 2026
Chris Richards, from Alabama, is an uncompromising defender whose Afro towers above the back line and whose lankiness masks a quickness that covers gaps in the American half.
—Leander Schaerlaeckens, New Yorker, 22 May 2026
The aroma masks the smell of tomatoes, working to deter thrips and other garden pests from finding your crop.
—Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 9 May 2026
While his bravado initially masks fear, Billy ultimately reveals unexpected courage, emerging as an unlikely ally as danger escalates.
—Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 6 May 2026
That temporarily masks the sensation of fatigue and promotes alertness.
—Samantha Agate, Miami Herald, 6 May 2026
The pharmaceutical industry saw its reputation among patient groups inch up last year, but the rise masks fresh concerns about the extent to which some companies are sufficiently focusing on patient needs, according to a new survey.
—Ed Silverman, STAT, 5 May 2026
The odor masks the scent of animals' preferred vegetables and confuses insect pests, including aphids, carrot flies, cabbage worms and loopers, spider mites, thrips, and Japanese beetles.
—Barbara Gillette, The Spruce, 3 May 2026
The country’s prosperity masks a condition of perpetual labor simply to sustain family and keep pace with one of the world’s most expensive cities.
—Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 25 Apr. 2026
Noun
Yordan Alvarez authoring a season worthy of American League MVP honors masks some of Altuve’s malaise.
—Chandler Rome, New York Times, 20 June 2026
These pick-me-up masks will give a boost to your self-care routine.
—ABC News, 20 June 2026
Police described the suspects as two men in their late teens or early 20s wearing all-black clothing and masks.
—Joe Brandt, CBS News, 20 June 2026
No evacuation order has been issued, but county officials said the site offers cleaner air, masks, bottled water, nonperishable food and information from public health and air quality officials.
—Sydney Barragan, Daily News, 20 June 2026
Councilmember Ysabel Jurado, who represents Boyle Heights, said local organizations distributed air purifiers and masks to residents within the fire zone.
—Tracy Brown, Los Angeles Times, 19 June 2026
Unlike traditional cotton or cellulose sheet masks, Mixsoon's Bean Collagen Hydrogel Mask molds closely to the skin, helping minimize evaporation and maximize ingredient absorption.
—Christa Joanna Lee, Allure, 18 June 2026
Carrington, who died in 2011, devoted the final 17 years of her life to creating bronze figures and masks, conjuring her chimeric cast out of the canvas and into our own.
—Tessa Solomon, ARTnews.com, 13 June 2026
The Justice Department is suing Virginia over new state laws limiting federal immigration enforcement, including a ban on federal agents wearing masks.
—Liam Bowman, Washington Post, 13 June 2026
Verb
Performative alignment is a disciplined appearance of unity that masks unresolved tension.
—Britton Bloch, Forbes.com, 12 June 2026
Chris Richards, from Alabama, is an uncompromising defender whose Afro towers above the back line and whose lankiness masks a quickness that covers gaps in the American half.
—Leander Schaerlaeckens, New Yorker, 22 May 2026
The aroma masks the smell of tomatoes, working to deter thrips and other garden pests from finding your crop.
—Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 9 May 2026
While his bravado initially masks fear, Billy ultimately reveals unexpected courage, emerging as an unlikely ally as danger escalates.
—Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 6 May 2026
That temporarily masks the sensation of fatigue and promotes alertness.
—Samantha Agate, Miami Herald, 6 May 2026
The pharmaceutical industry saw its reputation among patient groups inch up last year, but the rise masks fresh concerns about the extent to which some companies are sufficiently focusing on patient needs, according to a new survey.
—Ed Silverman, STAT, 5 May 2026
The odor masks the scent of animals' preferred vegetables and confuses insect pests, including aphids, carrot flies, cabbage worms and loopers, spider mites, thrips, and Japanese beetles.
—Barbara Gillette, The Spruce, 3 May 2026
The country’s prosperity masks a condition of perpetual labor simply to sustain family and keep pace with one of the world’s most expensive cities.
—Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 25 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for masks
Noun
-
At the 2019 Emmys, The Handmaid’s Tale picked up 11 nominations and three wins in categories like writing, directing, cinematography, costumes, music, editing, and guest acting (Bradley Whitford and Cherry Jones swept the drama guest awards) for a season that had half-aired the year before.—
Joe Reid,
Vulture,
20 June 2026
-
The cheerleaders were also not allowed to attend parties or wear jewelry with their costumes, according to a 1978 story in the newspaper.—
Emily Krauser,
PEOPLE,
20 June 2026
Noun
-
The veils of the universe have thinned.—
Georgia Slater,
PEOPLE,
9 June 2026
-
Unlike the vivid green curtains commonly associated with the northern lights, these auroras appeared as soft crimson veils spread across the night sky.—
Samantha Mathewson,
Space.com,
26 May 2026
Verb
-
Chives’ strong scent naturally disguises the scent of pepper plants from pests.—
Sheryl Geerts,
Better Homes & Gardens,
3 June 2026
-
The couple themselves — Marguerite (Mélanie Thierry) and Pierre Donnadieu (Vincent Macaigne) — are, for the most part, personable, but their generosity disguises a cultural condescension.—
Siddhant Adlakha,
IndieWire,
16 May 2026
Verb
-
The script hides serious moral and ethical conversations about fame, political violence, and powerful institutions amongst jokes about hashbrowns.—
Lorena O’Neil,
Rolling Stone,
20 June 2026
-
Rehka literally hides under a table to avoid him.—
Tasha Robinson,
Vulture,
16 June 2026
Noun
-
Throughout history, kings, queens and other members of the royal family have donned luxurious fur stoles, floor-length fur coats, capes with mink trims and cloaks with ermine edges (that's weasel fur).—
Jennifer Hassan,
USA Today,
14 June 2026
-
The housekeepers greet me with genuine care, the bartenders create cocktails with panache and smiles, and the doormen and women jauntily pose for pictures in their thick Batman-style winter cloaks.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
23 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
In recent years, tens of thousands of people have gone missing in Mexico, which explains the emphasis on the disappearance statute, which is used when a person or criminal organization deprives someone of liberty and conceals the victim’s fate or whereabouts.—
Steve Fisher,
Los Angeles Times,
17 June 2026
-
My dream foundation is one that conceals blemishes but is so imperceptible that people will ask me about my skin care routine.—
Kaelin Dodge,
InStyle,
16 June 2026
Noun
-
Graves are dug by hand and bodies are only buried in caskets or shrouds made of biodegradable materials like bamboo or cotton.—
Dorany Pineda,
Fortune,
2 May 2026
-
Graves are dug by hand and bodies are only buried in caskets or shrouds made of biodegradable materials like bamboo or cotton.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
1 May 2026
Verb
-
The focus on the regime changes inflicted on the Arab world and the Middle East at large obscures the routine violence inflicted on its people.—
Ta-Nehisi Coates,
Vanity Fair,
15 June 2026
-
The proximity of the scores obscures what, on closer inspection, is a striking divergence.—
Joseph V Micallef,
Forbes.com,
12 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Masks.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/masks. Accessed 21 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
