cover (up) 1 of 2

verb

Definition of cover (up)next
as in to suppress
to keep from being publicly known the governor vainly tried to cover up the growing scandal

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

cover-up

2 of 2

noun

ˈkə-vər-ˌəp How to pronounce cover-up (audio)
as in veil
something that covers or conceals like a piece of cloth that contrived burglary was just a cover-up for murder

Synonyms & Similar 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 cover (up)
Noun
During his visit to Days, Oliver’s character will also take a meeting with Salem mayor Pauline Price (played by sitcom legend Jackée Harry) and confront the shady EJ DiMera (Dan Feuerriegel) about a criminal cover-up. — Josef Adalian, Vulture, 10 Aug. 2026 Leo met with six abuse survivors during his recent trip to Spain, where the Catholic hierarchy has only recently begun reckoning with its legacy of abuse and cover-up after long dismissing the severity of the scandal. — ABC News, 7 Aug. 2026 The two stood side-by-side outside the resort’s Coliseum Pool with Haack opting for a pink two-piece bikini with a matching cover-up and a white trucker hat promoting her champagne brand, Clé Cachée. — Colson Thayer, PEOPLE, 5 Aug. 2026 Far from being vindicated, however, she was crushed as a brazen, thorough cover-up emerged. — Fern Schumer Chapman, Chicago Tribune, 5 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for cover (up)
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cover (up)
  1. suppress
  2. veil
  3. cloak
  4. shroud
  5. blanket
Verb
  • The superconductivity weakened with the screening and was eventually completely suppressed.
    — Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 5 Sep. 2026
  • The prairies’ clayey soils and other characteristics suppress tree growth, but allow native grasses, wildflowers and other herbaceous plants to thrive.
    — Charles Seabrook, AJC.com, 5 Sep. 2026
Definition of suppress
Noun
  • The jeweler recently posted up-close photos of the ring on Instagram, as well as a snap of Lee wearing a white veil and kissing Posty’s head while showing off the sparkling rock on her finger to the camera.
    — Hannah Dailey, Billboard, 28 Aug. 2026
  • The bride wore a sleeveless, knee-length A-line frock, paired with a short tulle veil and simple white heels.
    — Bailey Bujnosek, InStyle, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of veil
Noun
  • The sculpture depicts a female figure, her cloak billowing out in the shape of a seed around her and etched with more than 300 global symbols of peace, holding olive branches and surrounded by six children, each representing a continent.
    — Sal Pizarro, Mercury News, 22 Aug. 2026
  • Accompanying the drones will be a suite of musical scores and dialogue from the films, as well as a live performance by an electric violinist (dressed in a wizard’s cloak) to help amplify the soundtrack.
    — Vince Basada, Sacbee.com, 11 Aug. 2026
Definition of cloak
Noun
  • That has astronomers eagerly awaiting what can be seen as the shroud over the heart of the Milky Way gets at least partially lifted.
    — Adam Kovac, Scientific American, 29 Aug. 2026
  • The secrecy mandate in state law shrouds more than just the financial details of a project.
    — Rob Davis, ProPublica, 21 Aug. 2026
Definition of shroud
Noun
  • Salt stomping fits neatly inside a growing bucket of low-cost, low-tech, screen-free wind-down practices that already includes bath rituals, breathwork and weighted blankets.
    — Samantha Agate, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 5 Sep. 2026
  • So what can possibly feel better and safer than the warm blanket that is female camaraderie, the allyship of fellow women who know exactly what Ricki is going through?
    — Tomris Laffly, Variety, 5 Sep. 2026
Definition of blanket

Browse Nearby Words

covertures
cover (up)
cover-up
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Cover (up).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cover%20%28up%29. Accessed 6 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

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

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

A List of Most Commonly Confused Words

Why do we use apostrophes to show possession?

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

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

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

Stay Woke

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Words of the Week - Sept. 4
See More

Popular

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

The Longest Long Words List

Stay Woke
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
anagrams on a chalk board
Word Builder Quiz Vol. 2 Pick the letter that when added to a word will ma...
See All