veil 1 of 2

noun

ˈvāl How to pronounce veil (audio)
Definition of veilnext
as in shroud
something that covers or conceals like a piece of cloth under the veil of descending darkness the thieves began their operation

Synonyms & Similar Words

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veil

2 of 2

verb

1
as in to conceal
to keep secret or shut off from view a thicket of bushes veils the private beach from the road

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to shroud
to surround or cover closely morning fog veiled the fields

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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 veil
Noun
The bride’s veil measured 39 feet, and her train became the longest ever worn at a British royal wedding. — Eliza Prosperini, Vanity Fair, 4 Aug. 2026 Her post included a look at sketches and fabric samples on a workroom table, her veil displayed on a mannequin and a clip of the Miu Miu team doing a fitting with Blondeau. — Erin Clack, PEOPLE, 4 Aug. 2026
Verb
Most are soft; some are veiled by haze or sea mist, and others employ blur to picturesque ends. — James Quandt, Artforum, 2 June 2026 Decked out in her wedding dress and veil and clutching a bridal bouquet, Bethan Thomas rode the Coryton line of the South Wales Metro from Birchgrove to Penarth — about a half-hour journey — to get to her ceremony at Penarth Pier Pavilion on May 9. — Rachel Raposas, PEOPLE, 15 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for veil
Recent Examples of Synonyms for veil
  1. shroud
  2. conceal
  3. wrap
  4. cloak
  5. hide
  6. envelop
  7. blanket
  8. obscure
Noun
  • While music from the Campari Lounge boomed into the evening, approximately 100 demonstrators unwound a shroud bearing the names of 60,000 people who have been killed in Gaza since the beginning of the war two and a half years ago.
    — John Bleasdale, Variety, 9 Aug. 2026
  • The shroud of silence and fear that enveloped Syria throughout the Assad decades was gone.
    — Lina Sergie Attar, Time, 6 Aug. 2026
Definition of shroud
Verb
  • Amazon, Google, Meta and Elon Musk’s xAI all have demanded nondisclosure agreements with local governments, concealing their identity and intent until deals are almost done.
    — Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 13 Aug. 2026
  • Shih said the suspects wore masks, gloves and hooded clothing to conceal their identities, but detectives were able to identify them as a 19-year-old Tracy man, an 18-year-old San Jose man and a 17-year-old San Jose boy.
    — Jason Green, Mercury News, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of conceal
Verb
  • The chain replaced its soft bun with a more sturdier version, changed the recipe for its mayonnaise and now serves it in a box instead of wrapped in paper.
    — Jordan Valinsky, CNN Money, 12 Aug. 2026
  • Docker moved in a different direction with its MCP Catalog and Toolkit, containerizing servers and wrapping them in secret management, policy enforcement and audit logging.
    — Janakiram MSV, Forbes.com, 11 Aug. 2026
Definition of wrap
Noun
  • The new cloak is designed to accommodate arbitrary inner and outer shapes while operating omnidirectionally.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 29 July 2026
  • Just running around wearing cloaks, slinking into and out of castles, slicing the throats of all who cross her.
    — Brian Grubb, Vulture, 27 July 2026
Definition of cloak
Verb
  • Though males are wingless and females can fly short distances, that reproductive efficiency — combined with its tiny size and penchant for hiding in wood — has supercharged a rapid spread across South Africa.
    — Jack Bantock, CNN Money, 13 Aug. 2026
  • Bosch reminded the public to lock their vehicles and hide valuables, noting that thieves often scan for unlocked cars by looking for extended side mirrors.
    — Peter D'Oench, CBS News, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of hide
Verb
  • On an 1888 rolling historic Victorian estate just off the bustling South Congress Avenue, Hotel Saint Cecilia offers a lavish collection of 20 bungalows, suites, and studios enveloped in a lush canopy of trees.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 12 Aug. 2026
  • That trough disrupted the high pressure bubble near the Great Basin that was responsible for a West Coast heat wave that finally enveloped the Bay Area last week.
    — Rick Hurd, Mercury News, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of envelop
Noun
  • Set the scene On the second and last morning of my weekend at Winvian, a soft snow came upon the place and landed in a thin blanket.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 8 Aug. 2026
  • The couples also received household items, including beds, mattresses, blankets, bed sheets and rugs.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 8 Aug. 2026
Definition of blanket
Verb
  • Totality — when the sun is completely obscured — is only visible within the narrow path of the moon's shadow.
    — Daisy Dobrijevic, Space.com, 10 Aug. 2026
  • No political spin, just a focus on the numbers from governments’ own reports and how their unique accounting rules and financial definitions are obscuring the full truth of their financial story.
    — Sheila Weinberg, Baltimore Sun, 9 Aug. 2026
Definition of obscure

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Cite this Entry

“Veil.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/veil. Accessed 14 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on veil

Nglish: Translation of veil for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about veil

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