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View synonyms for

masquerade

[mas-kuh-reyd]

noun

  1. a party, dance, or other festive gathering of persons wearing masks and other disguises, and often elegant, historical, or fantastic costumes.

    Synonyms:
  2. a costume or disguise worn at such a gathering.

  3. false outward show; façade; pretense.

    a hypocrite's masquerade of virtue.

  4. activity, existence, etc., under false pretenses.

    a rich man's masquerade as a beggar.



verb (used without object)

masqueraded, masquerading 
  1. to go about under false pretenses or a false character; assume the character of; give oneself out to be.

    to masquerade as a former Russian count.

  2. to disguise oneself.

  3. to take part in a masquerade.

masquerade

/ ˌæəˈɪ /

noun

  1. a party or other gathering to which the guests wear masks and costumes

  2. the disguise worn at such a function

  3. a pretence or disguise

“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

verb

  1. to participate in a masquerade; disguise oneself

  2. to dissemble

“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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Other Word Forms

  • masquerader noun
  • ˌܱˈ noun
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Word History and Origins

Origin of masquerade1

1580–90; earlier masquerada, mascarado, pseudo-Spanish forms of Middle French mascarade < Upper Italian mascherada; mask, -ade 1
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Word History and Origins

Origin of masquerade1

C16: from Spanish mascarada, from mascara mask
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Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

“Essentially that person was masquerading as a nonprofit organization,” Toczylowski said, adding that her group is preparing a public service announcement to warn about the scam.

From

Or carved into furniture, wooden masks used in the Makishi ancestral masquerade - and a wooden box used to store tools when people were out hunting.

From

By issuing threatening press releases, diatribes masquerading as policy guidance, current OCR leadership is not trying to enforce the law.

From

The super game show host masquerading as a President is seeking ratings, approval and recognition….As it should be.

From

"By publishing a picture of himself masquerading as the pope, President Trump mocks God, the Catholic Church, and the papacy."

From

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masquermass