to mask
- verb
- /mæsk/
- He wore a smile to mask his disappointment after losing the game.
- mask one's identity
- mask the effect
- mask speech
And this right here masks the scent for sure.
- And this right here masks the scent for sure.
- Like how how a saline drip can mask performance enhancing drug.
- You stop, mask up, walk in.
Examples
-
A wave of fog rolled over the scene, masking it behind a smothering curtain of cloud.
Fiction book (1991) -
Drugs don't cure pain, they just mask it.
-
I was kind of hoping that it would mask the pole right there from this view.
-
I'd say, "Ah, well, I'm crying all the way to the bank," and I think deep down, that was just me trying to mask it.
-
"All right, then," she said, trying to mask the trembling in her voice.
Fiction book (1991) -
We laugh because it masks our real terror about mortality.
-
The desire for the object can be used to mask the desire for the obstacle.
Academic text (1991) -
In fact, we can see a clear attempt to justify or mask gender discrimination using discourses of tradition.
Academic text (2017) -
A person's outward acts might appear praiseworthy, and yet mask a wicked inner motivation.
Academic text (1990) -
The current discourse of new personal freedom and global interconnection masks complex forms of bondage and displacement.
Academic text (2008)
Synonyms
To keep something so others cannot see or understand it
To hide something so people cannot see or find out about it
To hide something so others cannot see or find it
To cover something completely so it cannot be seen
To change how someone or something looks to hide who they are
To cover something so it is hard to see or understand
To cover something completely, often with a cloth
To cover something so others cannot easily see or understand it
To stop light, sound, or air from coming in
To hide true feelings or intentions by pretending to feel something else
Hide something so you cannot see it or remember it
To put on clothes or a mask to hide who you are
To cover a person's or animal's head with cloth
To cover something completely so you cannot see or understand it
Remove or hide personal details so a person cannot be recognized
Antonyms
Phrasal Verbs
Compounds
A covering you wear over the nose and mouth to give oxygen in emergencies or medical care
A covering worn over the nose and mouth to protect against dust, germs, or pollution
A mask that covers the upper part of the face, leaves the mouth visible, and has holes for the eyes
- Specialized
A face cover that protects your eyes and face from sparks, bright light and heat during welding
- US
A protective face guard made of metal bars used by the catcher in baseball or softball
A protective face covering made of wire mesh worn by someone who fences to stop sword hits
A face cover like the one Hannibal Lecter wears that covers the lower face and looks scary
How Hidden
Surface Forms
Etymology
Mask comes from Italian maschera and the old idea of putting something over the face, so to mask is to cover or protect something so it cannot be seen. That's why artists or technicians say they mask areas to keep them safe from change.