1
as in pretense
a display of emotion or behavior that is insincere or intended to deceive
he allowed himself to dine at fine restaurants all over the world under the guise of research for his book on international cuisine
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in costume
clothing chosen as appropriate for a specific situation
she felt as though she should be wearing some sort of Germanic guise, complete with dirndl, for the fall festival featuring traditional German food and drink
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in mask
clothing put on to hide one's true identity or imitate someone or something else
he sneaked into the castle to rescue Ivanhoe in the guise of a priest coming to give Ivanhoe his last rites
Synonyms & Similar Words
4
as in appearance
outward and often deceptive indication
hazing rituals may have the guise of harmless fun, but often the reality is serious physical abuse
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of guise
Its softer and more feminine guise includes floral upholstery in lemony shades.
—
Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 5 Apr. 2026
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
In its many guises, idolatry has survived, despite regular and often cataclysmic proof of its dangers, for centuries and many people will consider a much-larger-than-life golden statue of a president to be perfectly splendid.
—Culture Critic, Los Angeles Times, 1 Apr. 2026
The Department of the Treasury last Thursday designated Hayat Yolu as a key player in a covert global network that uses the guise of humanitarian aid to raise money overseas.
—Bonny Chu, FOXNews.com, 20 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for guise
Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 5 Apr. 2026
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
In its many guises, idolatry has survived, despite regular and often cataclysmic proof of its dangers, for centuries and many people will consider a much-larger-than-life golden statue of a president to be perfectly splendid.
—Culture Critic, Los Angeles Times, 1 Apr. 2026
The Department of the Treasury last Thursday designated Hayat Yolu as a key player in a covert global network that uses the guise of humanitarian aid to raise money overseas.
—Bonny Chu, FOXNews.com, 20 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for guise
Recent Examples of Synonyms for guise
Noun
-
On the day of Lincoln’s election, the Wide Awakes patrolled polling places under the pretense of protecting democracy, while opponents viewed it as voter intimidation.—
Mia Cathell,
The Washington Examiner,
27 Apr. 2026
-
Authorities said the gun had been purchased under false pretenses in Indiana.—
Caroline Kubzansky,
Chicago Tribune,
27 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
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
-
Their parents would come and look at the costumes and buildings in horror.—
Marta Balaga,
Variety,
27 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
One was dressed in a prison uniform, wearing a Hegseth mask and red gloves.—
Collin Binkley,
Chicago Tribune,
26 Apr. 2026
-
Since the injury, goalie masks changed to include a piece of protection that was attached; the masks now extend to cover a wider portion to ensure that what happened to Malarchuk would not occur again.—
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
26 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
During their time together, Snead and McVay built teams that have played in two Super Bowls, winning one, and made eight playoff appearances.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
26 Apr. 2026
-
His most notable appearance was back in 2011.—
Rebecca Morin,
USA Today,
26 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
While Metcalf’s Linda adopts a facade of stoicism to shield her family from the grief erupting in her, Abbott’s Biff is forced to reveal the broken man behind the defiant veneer.—
Theater Critic,
Los Angeles Times,
29 Apr. 2026
-
The southern façade, for instance, is entirely solid—no windows, no openings—to shield the interior from the most brutal solar rays.—
Nick Mafi,
Architectural Digest,
29 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The hoods might just as well evoke the garb of Christian monks debating whether the soul is distinct from the body.—
Dawn Chan,
The New York Review of Books,
25 Apr. 2026
-
For the occasion, Robbie left modern-Brontë method dressing garb at home in favor of some sciura style (For the uninitiated—and those without this excellent Instagram on your Explore page—the Sciura is a Milanese woman who dresses elegantly and impeccably.—
Anna Cafolla,
Vogue,
22 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Carpets add warmth, softness and more color, from camouflage-esque pieces in cream, lichen and burgundy to Mondrian-style blocks of ochre, mustard and moss.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
23 Apr. 2026
-
This year was no different, except some strolling the area between the Lincoln Memorial and the Thomas Jefferson Memorial were dressed in camouflage — and armed.—
Gary Fields,
Chicago Tribune,
20 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Crow-Armstrong had a similar look on his face when that history came up again Friday.—
Maddie Lee,
Los Angeles Times,
25 Apr. 2026
-
The second group, Grand Penn Partners, is the corporate face of a plan to rebuild Penn Station as a Neo-classical complex.—
Evan Simko-Bednarski,
New York Daily News,
25 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Guise.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/guise. Accessed 1 May. 2026.
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