masquerade 1 of 2

noun

ˌma-skə-ˈrād How to pronounce masquerade (audio)
Definition of masqueradenext
as in facade
a display of emotion or behavior that is insincere or intended to deceive although she was deeply bored, she maintained a masquerade of polite interest as her guest droned on

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

masquerade

2 of 2

verb

as in to pose

Related 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 masquerade
Noun
And that, in 1990, the Valentine’s Day masquerade ball at the George Hotel in Rye, Sussex, featured Lady Chatterley’s Lover’s Soup. — Louis Menand, New Yorker, 1 June 2026 The long shadow of the occupation Twenty-three years after George Bush and Tony Blair resolved that Iraqis were to be emancipated, the country remains captive to a masquerade of power. — Nabil Salih, Time, 26 May 2026
Verb
For his part, Amato was a techno sophisticate masquerading as a party monster. — Walden Green, Pitchfork, 23 May 2026 The interior designers agreed that the most consistent small space trend is storage that masquerades as something else or serves multiple purposes. — Lacey Ramburger, The Spruce, 22 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for masquerade
Recent Examples of Synonyms for masquerade
  1. facade
  2. pose
  3. pretense
  4. pretend
  5. show
  6. impersonate
  7. guise
  8. act
Noun
  • The two-family home, designed by the Swiss architect Inès Lamunière, with a severe white stucco and glass façade, highlighter-orange doors, and twisting form, stood out in a neighborhood of 19th-century brownstones and multifamily brick buildings.
    — Matthew Sedacca, Curbed, 27 Aug. 2026
  • Yet behind the spectacle, the biggest symbols of their supposedly limitless riches were a facade to make their lives appear better than reality, according to the brothers’ own lawyers.
    — Jonny Hallam, CNN Money, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of facade
Verb
  • Their focus is principally Travis Kelce, who is reclined on an outdoor sofa, posing for a Tommy Hilfiger campaign.
    — Nick Remsen, Vogue, 1 Sep. 2026
  • Russian attacks on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure during winter pose Kyiv’s toughest challenge of the war yet, as per officials and national security experts.
    — Priyanka Salve, CNBC, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of pose
Noun
  • Behind closed doors, Chloe gets hired by Melody under the pretense that Chloe is helping her teacher’s illiterate husband learn how to read.
    — Matt Minton, Variety, 27 Aug. 2026
  • This entire argument has been under the pretense that the Steelers will need a win — and Rudolph will deliver it.
    — Mike DeFabo, New York Times, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of pretense
Verb
  • The two are only able to unlock a new understanding of each other by pretending to be strangers meeting for the first time.
    — Ben Rosenstock, Vulture, 28 Aug. 2026
  • One, a 35-year-old man, pretended to be a San Francisco 49ers player or a wealthy real estate investor, the Department of Justice said.
    — Idaho Statesman, Idaho Statesman, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of pretend
Noun
  • In addition to Broadway, the show has played in nine countries across four continents since making its West End debut in 2019.
    — Dave Quinn, PEOPLE, 27 Aug. 2026
  • Early in the show, Styles thanked opening act Jamie XX and then took a moment to acknowledge a full-circle moment on this opening night.
    — Karla Cote, Variety, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of show
Verb
  • One is the behavior Mythos engaged in, which included spinning up fake GitHub accounts, and, in at least one case, impersonating a real software developer, to try to convince Demir to drop his objections to the dangerous code.
    — Jeremy Kahn, Fortune, 25 Aug. 2026
  • His character Ned Schneebly was supposed to be substituting — until Dewey impersonated him and stepped in.
    — Kate Hogan, PEOPLE, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of impersonate
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 guise
Verb
  • Here the landscape was almost entirely about ice and rock, with the glacier acting as sculptor.
    — Sarah Kingdom, Forbes.com, 30 Aug. 2026
  • Today, the colors lean cooler and act more as accents than the stars of the show.
    — Kristina McGuirk, Better Homes & Gardens, 30 Aug. 2026
Definition of act

Phrases Containing masquerade

Browse Nearby Words

masque
masquerade
masquerade (as)
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Cite this Entry

“Masquerade.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/masquerade. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on masquerade

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about masquerade

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