DISGUISES Synonyms: 140 Similar and Opposite Words

disguises 1 of 2

noun

plural of disguise

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

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

disguises

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of disguise

as in masks

to change the dress or looks of so as to conceal true identity the spies disguised themselves as harmless tourists

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 disguises

Noun

More than historical curiosities, such stories reveal how elaborate disguises can become necessary as a means of survival in a world that denies people the freedom to be themselves — both historically and today. — Katherine Brodsky, Variety, 14 Oct. 2026 Despite disguises, they were recognized by a man outside, who raised the alarm. — Encyclopedia Britannica, 2 Oct. 2026 Among them, Mimi Sheraton, who donned wigs and other disguises to go unrecognized when reviewing. — Sam Stone, Bon Appetit Magazine, 2 Oct. 2026 Flores is writing new code on how to build a formidable defense, one that disguises blitzes that apply pressure from all angles. — Miami Herald, 29 Sep. 2026 The lightweight cream disguises dark circles, redness, blemishes, and uneven tone, melting in seamlessly enough to blend across larger areas in place of foundation. — Christa Joanna Lee, Allure, 18 Sep. 2026 Jones’ system is multiple but predicated largely on Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores’ high-press scheme, with plenty of pre-snap disguises, overloaded fronts and interchangeable assignments. — Nicki Jhabvala, New York Times, 14 Sep. 2026 The thieves wore no disguises or face coverings according to a report by Vienna’s police department. — News Desk, Artforum, 28 Aug. 2026 The crafty wolf often relies on gaudy disguises to accomplish his schemes. — Pete Grathoff, Kansas City Star, 24 Aug. 2026

Verb

With a virtual private network, your requests are pushed through an anonymized server in a different location, which disguises your identifying information. — K. Thor Jensen, PC Magazine, 8 Oct. 2026 L’Oréal Paris’ True Match Radiant Serum Concealer checks both boxes, delivering medium coverage that disguises dark circles, redness, blemishes, and discoloration without looking heavy. — Christa Joanna Lee, Allure, 18 Sep. 2026 Wedding clients perform love instead of living it; her brother, a congressman, disguises his LGBTQ identity to make his political one more palatable; the gentrifiers of her neighborhood trumpet their changes as progress. — Literary Hub, 10 Sep. 2026 The Hulu series takes the concept to new heights, with Powell playing Russ Holliday, a disgraced former college quarterback who disguises himself as Chad Powers to try to revive his football career. — Toria Sheffield, PEOPLE, 6 Sep. 2026 Today, greenwashing often disguises the true nature of corporate activity by appealing to the increasing number of people who care about environmental sustainability. — Marissa E. Yingling, The Conversation, 12 Aug. 2026 The film itself is about a Jewish woman who refuses the limits imposed on her mind and disguises herself as a man in order to study, and the parallel was impossible to miss. — Debbie Millman, Time, 25 July 2026 In the text, Athena disguises herself as Mentor to guide Telemachus on his journey to Sparta. — Louis Peitzman, Vulture, 17 July 2026 Chives’ strong scent naturally disguises the scent of pepper plants from pests. — Sheryl Geerts, Better Homes & Gardens, 3 June 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for disguises

Noun

For Alex, this led to a decades-long collaboration, designing sets and costumes for the Paul Taylor Dance Company.

— Dodie Kazanjian, Vogue, 19 Oct. 2026
However, her annual 31 days of churning out Halloween costumes appears to have come to an end.

— Sean Joseph OutKick, FOXNews.com, 18 Oct. 2026

Definition of costumes

Noun

Throughout the weekend, Dudamel embraced the worlds of Hollywood, Latin music in many guises and old-fashioned rock.

— Classical Music Critic, Los Angeles Times, 26 Aug. 2026
With their traditional, legacy rivals — the Manchester clubs, Liverpool, Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur — in various guises of transition, Arsenal are suddenly the team to beat and the Emirates is suddenly a library of sound; noise please.

— George Caulkin, New York Times, 25 Aug. 2026

Definition of guises

Verb

But like Fenberg, Democratic and liberal critics argue that Advance essentially distills its proposals into simple, even deceptive, language that masks the true impact.

— Seth Klamann, Denver Post, 13 Sep. 2026
None of it masks the fact that nostalgia, no matter how closely held and beloved, is not enough to save a film.

— Angelica Jade Bastién, Vulture, 11 Sep. 2026

Definition of masks

Verb

In an indirect prompt injection, an attacker hides instructions in content an AI agent will come across while doing a task—a web page or a forum post, for instance—hoping to hijack the agent.

— Andrew Nusca, Fortune, 21 Oct. 2026
In regulated work, the gap between a miss and a false certainty is enormous, and a single accuracy number hides it.

— Murali Rajendran, Forbes.com, 20 Oct. 2026

Definition of hides

Noun

During the Soviet era, these monumental decorative panels appeared at metro stations, sports stadiums, school facades, and on the sides of residential blocks.

— Yulia Denisyuk, Condé Nast Traveler, 14 Oct. 2026
Isaias peeled off hotel and condominium rooftops and facades along the Florida Panhandle before charging north Saturday, dishing out torrential rains and the threat of flash floods and tornadoes across the Southeast.

— Emilie Megnien, Los Angeles Times, 10 Oct. 2026

Definition of facades

Verb

This one, in particular, has a body-skimming fit that’s sleek enough to tuck into jeans or skirts, plus a nice ribbed design that camouflages bra lines.

— Alyssa Grabinski, PEOPLE, 12 Oct. 2026
The silky, buildable formula camouflages all things acne scars, dark circles, and other blemishes without looking thick or cakey.

— Reece Andavolgyi, InStyle, 8 Aug. 2026

Definition of camouflages

Browse Nearby Words

disguised

disguises

disguising

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Disguises.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/disguises. Accessed 21 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of disguises

noun

verb

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

jilt

Popular in Grammar & Usage

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

'Can' vs. 'May'

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

More Commonly Mispronounced Words

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

Popular in Wordplay

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Did 'orange' the fruit or the color come first?

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Popular

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

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Games & Quizzes