Word forms: plural, 3rd person singular presenttense masquerades, present participle masquerading, past tense, past participle masqueraded
1. verb
To masquerade as someone or something means to pretend to be that person or thing, particularly in order to deceive other people.
He masqueraded as a doctor and fooled everyone. [VERB + as]
...vices masquerading as virtues. [Vas n]
Synonyms: pose, pretend to be, impersonate, profess to be More Synonyms of masquerade
2. countable noun
A masquerade is an attempt to deceive people about the true nature or identity of something.
He told a news conference that the elections would be a masquerade.
Synonyms: pretence, disguise, deception, front [informal] More Synonyms of masquerade
3. countable noun
A masquerade is an event such as a party or dance where people dress up in disguise and wear masks.
...a masquerade ball.
More Synonyms of masquerade
masquerade in British English
(ˌmæskəˈreɪd)
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
verb(intransitive)
4.
to participate in a masquerade; disguise oneself
5.
to dissemble
Derived forms
masquerader (ˌmasquerˈader)
noun
Word origin
C16: from Spanish mascarada, from mascaramask
masquerade in American English
(ˌmæskəˈreɪd)
noun
1.
a ball or party at which masks and fancy costumes or disguises are worn
2.
a costume for such a ball or party
3.
a.
a disguise, false show, or pretense
b.
a living or acting under false pretenses
verb intransitiveWord forms: ˌmasquerˈaded or ˌmasquerˈading
4.
to take part in a masquerade
5.
to live or act under false pretenses
Derived forms
masquerader (ˌmasquerˈader)
noun
Word origin
altered (by assoc. with masque) < Fr mascarade < It mascarata, dial. var. of mascherata (< maschera): see mask
Examples of 'masquerade' in a sentence
masquerade
Science masquerading as religion is as unseemly as religion masquerading as science.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
Cheese isn't the only stuff on the menu masquerading as something else.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
What we are left with is a good half-hour dance masquerading as a bad hour-long one.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
The new Masters of the Universe conjure up hedge funds and financial instruments that sound to many people like numbers masquerading as work.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
If people are seeking our votes - or our cash for personalised football shirts - we should know if they are masquerading as something they are not.
The Sun (2011)
In other languages
masquerade
British English: masquerade VERB
to masquerade as sb/sth To masquerade as someone or something means to pretend to be that person or thing, particularly in order to deceive other people.
He masqueraded as a doctor and fooled everyone.
American English: masquerade
Brazilian Portuguese: fingir-se
Chinese: 冒充
European Spanish: hacerse pasar por
French: se faire passer
German: sich ausgeben als
Italian: spacciarsi
Japanese: なりすます
Korean: 가장하다
European Portuguese: fingir-se
Latin American Spanish: hacerse pasar por
British English: masquerade NOUN
A masquerade is an attempt to deceive people about the true nature or identity of something.
He told a news conference that the elections would be a masquerade.
American English: masquerade
Brazilian Portuguese: embuste
Chinese: 伪装
European Spanish: baile de máscaras
French: mascarade
German: Maskerade
Italian: mascherata
Japanese: 見せかけ
Korean: 가장-
European Portuguese: embuste
Latin American Spanish: baile de máscaras
(verb)
Definition
to pretend to be someone or something else
He masqueraded as a doctor and fooled everyone.
Synonyms
pose
pretend to be
impersonate
profess to be
pass yourself off
simulate
disguise yourself
1 (noun)
Definition
an attempt to keep secret the real identity or nature of something
She claimed that the elections would be a masquerade.
Synonyms
pretence
He claimed the police beat him up under the pretence that he was resisting arrest.
disguise
His seeming naivety was a disguise for his shrewd business mind.
deception
You've been the victim of a rather cruel deception.
front (informal)
a front for crime syndicates
cover
The grocery store was just a cover for their betting shop.
screen
They put a screen in front of me.
put-on (slang)
mask
His mask cracked, and she saw an angry and violent man.
cover-up
cloak
Individualism is sometimes used as a cloak for self-interest.
guise
The workers are being dismissed under the guise of a reorganization.
subterfuge
Most people can see right through that type of subterfuge.
dissimulation
imposture
2 (noun)
Definition
a party at which the guests wear masks and costumes
A woman was injured at the Christmas masquerade.
Synonyms
masked ball
masquerade ball
revel
mummery
fancy dress party
costume ball
masked party
Additional synonyms
in the sense of cloak
Definition
something that covers or conceals
Individualism is sometimes used as a cloak for self-interest.
Synonyms
disguise,
front (informal),
cover,
screen,
blind,
mask,
shield,
cover-up,
façade,
pretext,
smoke screen,
smoke and mirrors
in the sense of cover
Definition
a pretext or disguise
The grocery store was just a cover for their betting shop.
Synonyms
disguise,
front (informal),
screen,
mask,
cover-up,
veil,
cloak,
façade,
pretence,
pretext,
window-dressing,
smoke screen,
smoke and mirrors
in the sense of deception
Definition
something that deceives
You've been the victim of a rather cruel deception.
Synonyms
trick,
lie,
fraud,
cheat,
bluff,
sham,
snare,
hoax,
decoy,
ruse,
artifice,
subterfuge,
canard,
feint,
stratagem,
porky (British, slang),
pork pie (British, slang),
wile,
hokum (slang, US, Canadian),
leg-pull (British, informal),
imposture,
snow job (slang, US, Canadian),
fastie (Australian, slang)
Nearby words of
masquerade
mash
mask
mason
masquerade
mass
massacre
massage
Synonyms of 'masquerade'
masquerade
Explore 'masquerade' in the dictionary
Additional synonyms
in the sense of disguise
Definition
a mask, costume, or manner that disguises
His seeming naivety was a disguise for his shrewd business mind.
Synonyms
façade,
front (informal),
deception,
pretence,
veneer,
semblance,
trickery,
dissimulation
in the sense of dissimulation
Synonyms
pretence,
deception,
hypocrisy,
sham,
deceit,
feigning,
duplicity,
concealment,
play-acting,
double-dealing,
dissembling,
wile
in the sense of front
Definition
a business or other activity serving as a respectable cover for another, usually criminal, organization
a front for crime syndicates
Synonyms
disguise,
cover,
screen,
blind,
mask,
cover-up,
cloak,
façade,
pretext
in the sense of guise
Definition
a false appearance
The workers are being dismissed under the guise of a reorganization.
Synonyms
pretence,
show,
mask,
disguise,
face,
front (informal),
aspect,
façade,
semblance
in the sense of mask
Definition
behaviour that hides one's true feelings
His mask cracked, and she saw an angry and violent man.
Synonyms
façade,
disguise,
show,
front (informal),
cover,
screen,
blind,
cover-up,
veil,
cloak,
guise,
camouflage,
veneer,
semblance,
concealment
in the sense of screen
Definition
a light movable frame, panel, or partition used to shelter, divide, or conceal
They put a screen in front of me.
Synonyms
cover,
guard,
shade,
shelter,
shield,
hedge,
partition,
cloak,
mantle,
shroud,
canopy,
awning,
concealment,
room divider
in the sense of subterfuge
Definition
a trick or deception used to achieve an objective
Most people can see right through that type of subterfuge.