conceal

verb

con·​ceal kən-ˈsēl How to pronounce conceal (audio)
concealed; concealing; conceals

transitive verb

1
: to prevent disclosure or recognition of
conceal the truth
She could barely conceal her anger.
2
: to place out of sight
concealed himself behind the door
The defendant is accused of attempting to conceal evidence.
concealable adjective
concealingly adverb
concealment noun
Choose the Right Synonym for conceal

hide, conceal, screen, secrete, bury mean to withhold or withdraw from sight.

hide may or may not suggest intent.

hide in the closet
a house hidden in the woods

conceal usually does imply intent and often specifically implies a refusal to divulge.

concealed the weapon

screen implies an interposing of something that prevents discovery.

a house screened by trees

secrete suggests a depositing in a place unknown to others.

secreted the amulet inside his shirt

bury implies covering up so as to hide completely.

buried the treasure

Examples of conceal in a Sentence

The sunglasses conceal her eyes. The controls are concealed behind a panel. The defendant is accused of attempting to conceal evidence. The editorial accused the government of concealing the truth. She could barely conceal her anger.
Recent Examples on the Web Republicans rapidly fell in line, without bothering to conceal the rationale. Evan Osnos, The New Yorker, 4 Mar. 2024 The intelligence service instructed him to create a cover story to conceal his double life, according to prosecutors. Caitlin Yilek, CBS News, 29 Feb. 2024 Federal prosecutors had requested that Dor be imprisoned for 68 months, citing the gravity of his crime and his efforts to conceal his involvement in the conspiracy by resetting his cell phone before turning himself into the FBI through his attorney. Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 28 Feb. 2024 Ibarra, 26, was booked in the Clarke County Jail on several charges, including malice murder, felony murder, aggravated battery and concealing the death of another. Nicole Acevedo, NBC News, 27 Feb. 2024 The stakes of these relationships and the layers of emotions they're concealed beneath all provide a lush landscape to draw from. Dave Quinn, Peoplemag, 27 Feb. 2024 Related article Questions remain in investigation of death of Augusta University student found on UGA campus The suspect in her killing, Jose Antonio Ibarra, 26, has since been charged with felony murder, false imprisonment and kidnapping and concealing the death of another, jail records show. Elizabeth Wolfe, CNN, 26 Feb. 2024 Middle East experts say that after nearly a decade of evading airstrikes in a war with Saudi Arabia, the Houthis have become skilled at concealing their weaponry, putting some of it in urban areas and shooting missiles from the backs of vehicles before scooting off. Eric Schmitt, New York Times, 24 Feb. 2024 Every design choice seems handed down through millennia of alternative human history, from arcane hieroglyphics to a slew of creative masks and veils meant to conceal the faces of those manipulating the levers of power, nearly all of them women. Peter Debruge, Variety, 21 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'conceal.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Middle English concelen, borrowed from Anglo-French conceler, borrowed from Latin concēlāre, from con- con- + cēlāre "to hide, keep secret," probably derivative of an unattested lengthened-grade noun formed from the Indo-European verb base *ḱel- "cover, conceal," whence Latin occulere "to hide from view, keep secret" (from *ob-cel-), Old Irish ceilid "(s/he) hides," Welsh celaf "(I) hide," Germanic *hel-a- "hide" (whence Old English, Old Saxon & Old High German helan "to hide, keep secret")

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of conceal was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near conceal

Cite this Entry

“Conceal.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/conceal. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

conceal

verb
con·​ceal kən-ˈsē(ə)l How to pronounce conceal (audio)
1
: to keep secret
conceal a fact
2
: to hide from sight
carry a concealed weapon
concealable adjective
concealer noun

Legal Definition

conceal

transitive verb
con·​ceal
1
: to prevent disclosure of or fail to disclose (as a provision in a contract) especially in violation of a duty to disclose
2
a
: to place out of sight

Note: A weapon need only be placed out of ordinary observation in order to be considered a concealed weapon.

b
: to prevent or hinder recognition, discovery, or recovery of
concealing stolen property
concealment noun

More from Merriam-Webster on conceal

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