MASKS Synonyms: 115 Similar and Opposite Words

masks 1 of 2

noun

plural of mask

as in costumes

a cover or partial cover for the face used to disguise oneself an elaborate mask that would be suitable for a fancy masquerade ball

Synonyms & Similar Words

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as in veils

something that covers or conceals like a piece of cloth his unexpected friendliness is just a mask, for he always has an ulterior motive

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masks

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of mask

as in disguises

to change the dress or looks of so as to conceal true identity the federal agents masked their surveillance vehicle so that it looked like an ordinary moving van

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in hides

to keep secret or shut off from view masked his real motives for wanting to see the house that was for sale

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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 masks

Noun

Police fired tear gas and water cannons to push back people wearing hoods and masks and throwing fireworks, paving stones and other objects at officers in the Place de la République, northeast of the Paris city center. — Sylvie Corbet, Arkansas Online, 18 Oct. 2026 In the southern port city of Marseille, some protesters briefly forced their way into the lobby of City Hall and a group of people wearing hoods and masks damaged a police station. — ABC News, 18 Oct. 2026 Wearing masks to conceal their identities, the individuals lay down on the carpet before being removed by security. — Jake Kanter, Deadline, 17 Oct. 2026 The protest turned violent when a group of young people wearing masks hurled rocks at riot police, who responded with stun grenades, tear gas and a water cannon. — Reuters, NBC news, 17 Oct. 2026 Not wanting a didactic feel, Ebenstein eschewed labels for the art, artifacts, masks, toys, skeletal and wet specimens, wax scientific models, devotional objects, vintage taxidermy and books. — Dina Cheney, Washington Post, 17 Oct. 2026 Police used tear gas and water cannons on Saturday to disperse violent groups in Paris, where people wearing hoods and masks threw fireworks and other objects at officers in the Place de la République. — Brie Stimson, FOXNews.com, 17 Oct. 2026 Dozens of protesters, many of them young, dressed in black and wearing masks, threw rocks and firecrackers at police at the central Brussels railway station, before setting several fires, one to a pile of city bikes and electric scooters. — Mark Carlson, Los Angeles Times, 9 Oct. 2026 Kicking it all off is a masquerade ball where masks and sparkling costumes are the norm. — Michelle Mastro, Midwest Living, 9 Oct. 2026

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 But that stat masks some major differences from one market to the next, with luxury entry points already approaching $4 million in some cities and still rising in others. — Abby Montanez, Robb Report, 10 Sep. 2026 The current acceleration in European EV sales - in the first half of 2026 EV sales rose about 40% to 1,220,890 (ACEA) compared with the same period last year - masks the overriding failure. — Neil Winton, Forbes.com, 29 July 2026 My hope is our offense will be unstoppable, while my defense mostly gets shredded over the middle but masks it with strip-sacks and interceptions. — Stewart Mandel, New York Times, 15 July 2026 Garlic has a strong odor that masks the scents that attract pests to plants. — Melissa Epifano, The Spruce, 13 July 2026 Using one-time revenues for ongoing obligations is not fiscally responsible, masks structural deficits and shifts burdens to future budgets. — Phillip Molnar, San Diego Union-Tribune, 25 June 2026 This accuracy, however, masks a growing vulnerability. — Zak Kassas, The Conversation, 23 June 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for masks

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

Madonna then descended the stairs and removed her coat to reveal a red-and-black corset as dancers lifted her onto a table that rolled around a choir in the audience wearing white veils.

— Steven J. Horowitz, Variety, 28 Sep. 2026
The last time the country buried a king, in 1991, Queen Sonja and her daughter Märtha Louise wore long, black veils.

— Filippo Iarocci, Vanity Fair, 19 Sep. 2026

Definition of veils

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

Definition of disguises

Verb

What isn’t vintage is mostly custom designed by Levin—a wall-to-wall couch with conversation pit vibes, a wooden bed with an attached bench, a thoughtful floating console that hides a TV.

— Leonora Epstein, Architectural Digest, 14 Oct. 2026
On the day of the scavenger hunt, the team hides its creations around town, while ravenous worm-hunters eagerly await their first hint of where a ceramic worm decorated to look like a pickle, or a crayon, or a rainbow dinosaur, can be found.

— Camila Pedrosa, Sacbee.com, 12 Oct. 2026

Definition of hides

Noun

Swappable kiltie lace shrouds offer the choice of the same three flavors, as does an assortment of laces that adds a chocolate chip-like pattern as a forth option.

— Ian Servantes, Footwear News, 17 Sep. 2026
The novel invites and shrouds and protects, then presses on him for years in recollection, worrying the edges of imagination.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 8 Sep. 2026

Definition of shrouds

Verb

That is, when the dialogue is audible at all; much of it ends up subsumed by a thundering sound mix that obscures what you’re actually meant to hear.

— Siddhant Adlakha, Variety, 15 Oct. 2026
Pedestrians walk along Marina Bay as thick haze obscures the Merlion park and surrounding skyline in Singapore on October 14, 2026.

— Jenny Lee,Zechariah Chan, CNBC, 15 Oct. 2026

Definition of obscures

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masking

masks

masque

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Style

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

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Synonyms of masks

noun

verb

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