masquerade 1 of 2

noun

ˌma-skə-ˈrād How to pronounce masquerade (audio)
Definition of masqueradenext
as in facade
a display of emotion or behavior that is insincere or intended to deceive although she was deeply bored, she maintained a masquerade of polite interest as her guest droned on

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

masquerade

2 of 2

verb

as in to pose

Related Words

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 masquerade
Noun
But the maison will also have a trio of exclusive treatments on offer at Hotel Cipriani, which were crafted to honor Christian Dior’s love of masquerade balls and Venice. — Nicole Hoey, Robb Report, 27 July 2026 The yearly convention includes panel discussions, movie and television showings, an exhibitor hall, outdoor activations, a masquerade ball and more. — Ut Community Press, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 July 2026
Verb
The most powerful of the three attack variants causes the infected Windows machine to masquerade as an iPhone. — Dan Goodin, ArsTechnica, 11 Aug. 2026 Set amid the aftermath of the Spanish Civil War, the tragic tale of Ofelia (Ivana Baquero) is famous for allowing real nightmares to masquerade as bloody fairytales. — Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 30 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for masquerade
Recent Examples of Synonyms for masquerade
  1. facade
  2. pose
  3. pretense
  4. pretend
  5. show
  6. impersonate
  7. guise
  8. act
Noun
  • The story centers on a transfer student’s enigmatic bond with a teacher, as a string of unexplained, supernatural incidents cracks the school’s polished facade.
    — Ophélie Surcouf, Variety, 10 Oct. 2026
  • As Ray goes down the rabbit hole, the shiny facade of Metropia and Megamax (which is, notably and obviously evil from the start) begin to crumble.
    — Kate Erbland, IndieWire, 10 Oct. 2026
Definition of facade
Verb
  • Sticky inflation poses challenges for consumers, businesses and monetary policymakers alike, Hammack said.
    — Alex Harring, CNBC, 12 Oct. 2026
  • On the first day of his second term, the Republican president repealed a Biden-era executive order aimed in part at guarding against the risks that AI systems pose to consumers, workers and national security.
    — Garance Burke, Los Angeles Times, 12 Oct. 2026
Definition of pose
Noun
  • The staff is incredibly friendly and helpful—don't expect any pretense here, just genuine (and enjoyable) engagement.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 9 Oct. 2026
  • Tom’s frugality also lured Nancy into the business on the pretense of spending more time together.
    — Tim Graham, New York Times, 1 Oct. 2026
Definition of pretense
Verb
  • Traditional American business values like social responsibility, community involvement, and customer service — y’know, the things companies used to at least pretend to care about — have been tossed aside.
    — Noel Murray, Vulture, 9 Oct. 2026
  • Everyone pretends the films were chosen purely on merit, but the slate often reads Hollywood with a lanyard and a conscience.
    — Joseph Kahn, HollywoodReporter, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of pretend
Noun
  • At the Abroms-Engel Institute for the Visual Arts at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, curator John Fields has built a renowned space for visual art, attracting a kaleidoscope of artists and shows over the course of his 12-year tenure.
    — Leslie Pariseau, Condé Nast Traveler, 12 Oct. 2026
  • Social media and the rise of influencers transformed the streets outside the shows into a stage of their own.
    — Alex Badia, Footwear News, 12 Oct. 2026
Definition of show
Verb
  • Then another old friend of Mary’s, the shape-shifting warlock William (Devon Sawa), is revealed to have been impersonating a teacher.
    — Mya Copeland, Variety, 5 Oct. 2026
  • Colbert gifted Kimmel his Captain America shield, did a sketch-within-an-interview with his son impersonating a Kiwi police officer, and shaved for our amusement.
    — Bethy Squires, Vulture, 18 Sep. 2026
Definition of impersonate
Noun
  • But unlike Backrooms, SCP Foundation has always been more centralized to this one website, and every subsequent SCP Foundation work has always fallen under the guise of the Creative Commons license, something the Backrooms creepypasta never did.
    — Brian Welk, IndieWire, 24 Sep. 2026
  • As critics such as Antonio Candido have remarked, regionalism was at bottom an attempt to render Latin American reality in its dominant rural guise.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 4 Sep. 2026
Definition of guise
Verb
  • Fitoussi said the project began almost as a joke, with the idea of casting one of France’s busiest actors as someone who never gets to act.
    — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 12 Oct. 2026
  • Please have a plan in place should flash flooding develop and do not hesitate to act.
    — NC Weather Bot, Charlotte Observer, 11 Oct. 2026
Definition of act

Phrases Containing masquerade

Browse Nearby Words

masque
masquerade
masquerade (as)
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Masquerade.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/masquerade. Accessed 13 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on masquerade

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about masquerade

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of abscond

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

The Exceptions of '-s' and '-es' Plurals

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

7 Words for Bad Endings and Rough Situations

The Words of the Week - Oct. 9

Why do we call it a 'flea market'?
See More

Popular

See More

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
a cup of tea and a golf ball on tee side by side
Quiz: Sounds Like... Choose the word that sounds like it fits the clue...
See All