conceal

[ kuhn-seel ]

verb (used with object)

1. to hide; withdraw or remove from observation; cover or keep from sight:

   He concealed the gun under his coat.

2. to keep secret; to prevent or avoid disclosing or divulging:

   to conceal one's identity by using a false name.

conceal

/ kənˈsiːl /

verb

1. to keep from discovery; hide
2. to keep secret

Derived Forms

• conˈcealment, noun
• conˈcealable, adjective
• conˈcealer, noun

Other Words From

• con·ceala·ble adjective
• con·ceala·bili·ty noun
• con·cealed·ly adverb
• con·cealed·ness noun
• con·cealer noun
• half-con·cealed adjective
• half-con·cealing adjective
• precon·ceal verb (used with object)
• recon·ceal verb (used with object)
• semi·con·cealed adjective
• subcon·cealed adjective
• uncon·cealed adjective
• uncon·cealing adjective
• uncon·cealing·ly adverb
• well-con·cealed adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of conceal¹

First recorded in 1275–1325; Middle English conselen, concelen, from Anglo-French conceler from Latin concēlāre, from con- con- + cēlāre “to hide” ( hull ¹ )

Word History and Origins

Origin of conceal¹

C14: from Old French conceler, from Latin concēlāre, from com- (intensive) + cēlāre to hide

Synonym Study

See hide ¹.

Example Sentences

Trachtman combines natural items with the man-made ones and sometimes partly conceals items inside the assemblages.

From Washington Post

He shopped online for a “Surgical Steel Tomahawk Axe” and a concealed firearm built to look like a cellphone, prosecutors alleged, and discussed coordination with Proud Boys and Three Percenters.

From Washington Post

The thin heating elements are fully concealed within the garment and are protected by a waterproof membrane, so you don’t need to worry about rain.

From Popular-Science

Chastain told the officer he did not threaten Karau with a weapon but that he did have a concealed-carry permit and had a pistol on his person at the time of the incident, according to the police report.

From Washington Post

He described it as “a kind of mask, designed on the one hand to make a definite impression upon others, and, on the other, to conceal the true nature of the individual.”

From Nautilus

As great as this feat was, an equally demanding test followed: to conceal from the Nazis that Enigma had been beaten.

From The Daily Beast

Many of those gathering in the run-up to the grand jury decision wore hockey and tear gas masks to conceal their identity.

From The Daily Beast

I maintain that our mistake was in overthinking our criminal's desire to conceal the body.

From The Daily Beast

Call them Trojan horse foods: nutritiously pleasing ingredients (oats, yogurts) that conceal a whole host of junk.

From The Daily Beast

Ali can scarcely conceal his delight with this change of circumstances.

From The Daily Beast

I, therefore, deliver it as a maxim, that whoever desires the character of a proud man ought to conceal his vanity.

From Project Gutenberg

Answered Elizabeth, hardly attempting to conceal her scornful doubt of his sincerity.

From Project Gutenberg

"No; his coming has taken me by surprise," replied Hartledon, with a nervousness he could not wholly conceal.

From Project Gutenberg

Still, Louis did not reply; but proofs of his contending soul convulsed the features his agitated hand tried to conceal.

From Project Gutenberg

Was she merely an egoist—it ran in the family—or did it conceal much that she had no intention of revealing?

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• bury
• camouflage
• cloak
• cover
• cover up
• disguise
• harbor
• hide
• lurk
• mask
• obscure
• stash
• stow
• wrap