masks 1 of 2

Definition of masksnext
plural of mask
1
as in costumes
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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2

masks

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of mask

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
Noun
The measure has some exceptions, such as undercover operations, SCUBA teams, bomb squads, and SWAT teams, but broadly bans masks. Christopher Keating, Hartford Courant, 1 May 2026 The legislation, though, doesn’t include the new measures that Democrats had been pushing for, such as prohibiting agents from wearing masks. Chantelle Lee, Time, 30 Apr. 2026 The leader of the rebellion chatted with young kids carrying Princess Leia dolls and wearing Boba Fett masks. Brady MacDonald, Oc Register, 29 Apr. 2026 In March, Sherrill signed three bills, including the Law Enforcement Officer Protection Act, which bans law enforcement officers, including ICE agents, from wearing masks in New Jersey. Cbs New York Team, CBS News, 29 Apr. 2026 On Saturday afternoon, someone dressed as the Christian messiah was among the dozens of people in costumes and masks seen on a video forcing open the door of a Scientology building on Hollywood Boulevard after a tug-of-war with a security guard. James Queally, Los Angeles Times, 28 Apr. 2026 Dozens of people wearing masks shut down I-77 to set off fireworks in the middle of the interstate. Joe Bruno, Charlotte Observer, 28 Apr. 2026 Then, a few weeks later and with no new science, said everyone should wear masks immediately. Ian Miller Outkick, FOXNews.com, 28 Apr. 2026 It’s sold in many stores, so pick up a couple masks on your travels. Anita Bhagwandas, Condé Nast Traveler, 28 Apr. 2026
Verb
Everything is coated in a garlic butter salt that masks the mediocrity of the nuts. Alex Beggs, Bon Appetit Magazine, 25 Apr. 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 Allium can be planted behind hostas in the garden for a pop of color and vertical interest while the lush hosta foliage masks its unattractive leaves. Cori Sears, The Spruce, 21 Apr. 2026 But that headline figure masks a growing divide between two cohorts with almost nothing in common economically. Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 17 Apr. 2026 But Elham, a contentious and fiercely competitive student, suspects that Marjan’s zeal for anglophone culture, including Hollywood romantic comedies, masks a resentment for the Iranian life she is now stuck with. Theater Critic, Los Angeles Times, 11 Apr. 2026 Biff, once a high school star, is now disillusioned and searching for meaning after years of false starts, while Happy — outwardly confident and eager to impress — clings to a glossy vision of success that masks his own dissatisfaction. Dave Quinn, PEOPLE, 10 Apr. 2026 That parity masks the significant gains women have recently made in the labor market. Andrea Hsu, NPR, 10 Apr. 2026 But his professional success masks a series of devastating personal tragedies. Don Riddell, CNN Money, 9 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for masks
Noun
  • Upstairs, in the bubble gum-pink Powder Room, Shahniani keeps his drag costumes, made by his favorite dressmaker, Kelsey Swarthout, who uses upcycled Disney sheets in her designs.
    Tribune News Service, San Diego Union-Tribune, 2 May 2026
  • Drawn from the museum’s founding collection, the exhibitions aim trace the evolution of human culture through storytelling, from ancient sculptures of gods and goddesses to Renaissance paintings to photographs, comics, and modern cinema, including props and costumes from the Lucas Archives.
    Marc Malkin, Variety, 30 Apr. 2026
Noun
  • Bridal headwear is becoming bolder and more statement-making, with rising searches for fascinators, Juliet cap veils, and custom wedding hats signaling that cool-girl alternatives to the traditional veil are gaining momentum.
    Lauren Fisher, Footwear News, 1 May 2026
  • By peering through thick veils of gas and dust, radio astronomers have been able to watch young binary stars orbit around one another in the heart of star-forming clouds — and, in the process, have revealed the stars' masses.
    Keith Cooper, Space.com, 28 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • Crafted into undone bends, the style disguises flyaways and limp ends.
    Fiona Embleton, Glamour, 6 Mar. 2026
  • Shortly after arriving at the home just after midnight, Nelson downloaded a phone app that disguises the phone number of incoming calls.
    Nick Ferraro, Twin Cities, 27 Feb. 2026
Verb
  • Ohm, well played by Scott who can wither with you with a look, is the classic ugly American and is rude to everyone at the hotel, but those putdowns and cruelty hides his self loathing.
    Randy Myers, Mercury News, 30 Apr. 2026
  • Creative desserts were added in late 2025, like a matcha-and-fig leaf gateaux served with green apple sorbet, and blood orange-and-yuza espuma, a fluffy citrus confection that hides a surprise of chocolate olive oil pieces.
    Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 29 Apr. 2026
Noun
  • 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
  • Anybody heading into the spring with a seasonably cheerful and rosy view of world affairs will be well-met by the return of the patron saints of drone metal, pulling on their cloaks to herald our everlong winter.
    Nina Corcoran, Pitchfork, 23 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • For the cooking areas, Rockwell’s team installed floor-to-ceiling subway tile, a giant island, and deep-green millwork from Plain English that conceals all of the essentials.
    Hannah Martin, Architectural Digest, 16 Apr. 2026
  • In fact, Nicky and Morgan’s middle-class respectability conceals an overwhelming existential paralysis.
    Inkoo Kang, New Yorker, 9 Apr. 2026
Noun
  • The 39 members of the group were discovered lying on their backs and covered by purple shrouds.
    Frannie Comstock, Encyclopedia Britannica, 24 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
Verb
  • What that survey obscures, however, is the cost of avoidance.
    Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 23 Apr. 2026
  • But such language obscures patterns of danger that are recognizable, predictable – and, importantly, preventable.
    Kathryn Spearman, The Conversation, 20 Apr. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Masks.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/masks. Accessed 4 May. 2026.

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