1
as in costumes
clothing put on to hide one's true identity or imitate someone or something else
Mardi Gras revelers dressed in a colorful array of outlandish disguises
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2
as in guises
a display of emotion or behavior that is insincere or intended to deceive
somehow, he managed to put on a disguise of happiness as he watched his secret crush marry someone else
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in masks
to change the dress or looks of so as to conceal true identity
the spies disguised themselves as harmless tourists
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in hides
to keep secret or shut off from view
that investigative reporter usually does a good job of disguising her true motives for interviewing a person
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of disguises
Elise Broach, New Yorker, 20 Apr. 2026
Federal prosecutors say Davis would go on to don disguises — a wig once, and a do-rag-style head covering another time — again in March and July to impersonate two other NFL players on video calls and bilk millions more in loans.
—ABC News, 17 Apr. 2026
The game often involves disguises and toy water guns, which can be mistaken for real threats by bystanders or law enforcement.
—Jazmin Towe, Parents, 12 Apr. 2026
The reality series on Fox, which sees celebrity contestants don over-the-top disguises and compete karaoke-style, crowned it's champion Wednesday, April 1.
—Anna Kaufman, USA Today, 2 Apr. 2026
Certain menu items, though, feel like fan favorites made to wear cumbersome disguises, while entrees outside of the burger don’t always feel as essential as the smaller plates.
—Cesar Hernandez, San Francisco Chronicle, 27 Mar. 2026
Former Patriots defensive coordinator Matt Patricia brought NFL disguises to an Ohio State defense that could have three defenders picked in the top 10 in this year’s draft.
—Ted Nguyen, New York Times, 5 Mar. 2026
The use of disguises or other misrepresentations by immigration authorities has drawn attention in recent months, after federal agents were seen posing as utility workers and other service employees in Minneapolis and elsewhere.
—Jake Offenhartz The Associated Press, Arkansas Online, 27 Feb. 2026
From droppings-mimicking spiders in Borneo to a tiny gecko tucked under bark in India, these creatures have been quietly perfecting their disguises while science is only now catching up — one DNA barcode, one micro-CT scan at a time.
—Hanna Wickes, Miami Herald, 27 Feb. 2026
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
But Rosina has also caught the eye of the wealthy bachelor Count Almaviva, who disguises himself as a poor student to serenade Rosina from the street outside Bartolo’s home in Seville.
—Pam Kragen, San Diego Union-Tribune, 8 Feb. 2026
This approach disguises the fact that your primary bedroom has two mattresses in it, while bringing in a dash of luxury.
—Michelle Mastro, The Spruce, 7 Feb. 2026
Destitute and determined not to become collateral damage, Rae disguises herself as a man and becomes employed at a squalid turpentine camp in Georgia named Swallow Hill.
—Amanda Favazza, Southern Living, 6 Feb. 2026
The defensiveness disguises the admission that With Heaven on Top does indeed boast a robust production, one teeming with horns and backing vocals, all set to a big beat designed to echo throughout the stadiums Bryan now headlines.
—Stephen Thomas Erlewine, Pitchfork, 13 Jan. 2026
That big picture also disguises some fascinating trends.
—Ian King, CNBC, 17 Dec. 2025
To do so, Charlotte disguises him as Leroy.
—Louis Peitzman, Vulture, 8 Dec. 2025
Noun
Santat’s illustrations begin with straightforward, muted sincerity and become brighter, busier, and more gleeful—filling every corner of the page—as Sharpson’s narrator becomes ever more unhinged, ranting about fish spies, fish disguises, and fish taking over the world.
—Elise Broach, New Yorker, 20 Apr. 2026
Federal prosecutors say Davis would go on to don disguises — a wig once, and a do-rag-style head covering another time — again in March and July to impersonate two other NFL players on video calls and bilk millions more in loans.
—ABC News, 17 Apr. 2026
The game often involves disguises and toy water guns, which can be mistaken for real threats by bystanders or law enforcement.
—Jazmin Towe, Parents, 12 Apr. 2026
The reality series on Fox, which sees celebrity contestants don over-the-top disguises and compete karaoke-style, crowned it's champion Wednesday, April 1.
—Anna Kaufman, USA Today, 2 Apr. 2026
Certain menu items, though, feel like fan favorites made to wear cumbersome disguises, while entrees outside of the burger don’t always feel as essential as the smaller plates.
—Cesar Hernandez, San Francisco Chronicle, 27 Mar. 2026
Former Patriots defensive coordinator Matt Patricia brought NFL disguises to an Ohio State defense that could have three defenders picked in the top 10 in this year’s draft.
—Ted Nguyen, New York Times, 5 Mar. 2026
The use of disguises or other misrepresentations by immigration authorities has drawn attention in recent months, after federal agents were seen posing as utility workers and other service employees in Minneapolis and elsewhere.
—Jake Offenhartz The Associated Press, Arkansas Online, 27 Feb. 2026
From droppings-mimicking spiders in Borneo to a tiny gecko tucked under bark in India, these creatures have been quietly perfecting their disguises while science is only now catching up — one DNA barcode, one micro-CT scan at a time.
—Hanna Wickes, Miami Herald, 27 Feb. 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
But Rosina has also caught the eye of the wealthy bachelor Count Almaviva, who disguises himself as a poor student to serenade Rosina from the street outside Bartolo’s home in Seville.
—Pam Kragen, San Diego Union-Tribune, 8 Feb. 2026
This approach disguises the fact that your primary bedroom has two mattresses in it, while bringing in a dash of luxury.
—Michelle Mastro, The Spruce, 7 Feb. 2026
Destitute and determined not to become collateral damage, Rae disguises herself as a man and becomes employed at a squalid turpentine camp in Georgia named Swallow Hill.
—Amanda Favazza, Southern Living, 6 Feb. 2026
The defensiveness disguises the admission that With Heaven on Top does indeed boast a robust production, one teeming with horns and backing vocals, all set to a big beat designed to echo throughout the stadiums Bryan now headlines.
—Stephen Thomas Erlewine, Pitchfork, 13 Jan. 2026
That big picture also disguises some fascinating trends.
—Ian King, CNBC, 17 Dec. 2025
To do so, Charlotte disguises him as Leroy.
—Louis Peitzman, Vulture, 8 Dec. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for disguises
Noun
-
Two years later, the midnight-movie adaptation The Rocky Horror Picture Show transformed it into a cultural phenomenon, fueled by raucous responses, scant costumes and a sense of communal anarchy.—
Dave Quinn,
PEOPLE,
24 Apr. 2026
-
Anti-Trump and anti-Paramount protesters held signs and wore costumes outside the event on Thursday evening.—
Brian Stelter,
CNN Money,
24 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
These projects reveal the evil lurking underneath the guises of killers who were so often hiding in plain sight.—
Katie Rife,
Entertainment Weekly,
7 Apr. 2026
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By the time my story about him was published in the November 2023 issue of Vanity Fair, Aryeh Dodelson, and all of his guises, had disappeared from the face of the earth.—
Nate Freeman,
Vanity Fair,
3 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
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
-
Cruise ships release passengers daily to see the bright, ornate facades lining the harbor.—
Tribune News Service,
Baltimore Sun,
30 Apr. 2026
-
The basilica features three main facades -- the Nativity, the Passion and the Glory -- each depicting a different chapter of Christ's life.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
30 Apr. 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
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
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In fact, Nicky and Morgan’s middle-class respectability conceals an overwhelming existential paralysis.—
Inkoo Kang,
New Yorker,
9 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Authorities said the gun had been purchased under false pretenses in Indiana.—
Caroline Kubzansky,
Chicago Tribune,
27 Apr. 2026
-
The 2025 Holocaust Expropriated Art Recovery Act, or HEAR Act, expands on a 2016 law, signed by President Barack Obama, that permits victims and descendants of victims of the Holocaust to lay legal claim to works of art looted by the Nazis or sold to the Nazis under false pretenses.—
Jackie Hajdenberg,
Sun Sentinel,
20 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Disguises.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/disguises. Accessed 2 May. 2026.
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