shroud

1 of 2

noun

ˈshrau̇d How to pronounce shroud (audio)
especially Southern ˈsrau̇d
Synonyms of shroudnext
1
: burial garment : winding-sheet, cerement
2
: something that covers, screens, or guards: such as
a
: one of two flanges that give peripheral support to turbine or fan bedding
b
: a guard (as of ceramic or fiberglass) that protects a spacecraft from the heat of launching
3
a
: one of the ropes leading usually in pairs from a ship's mastheads to give lateral support to the masts
b
: one of the cords that suspend the harness of a parachute from the canopy
4
obsolete : shelter, protection

Illustration of shroud

Illustration of shroud
  • 1 shroud 3a

shroud

2 of 2

verb

shrouded; shrouding; shrouds

transitive verb

1
a
: to cut off from view : obscure
trees shrouded by fog
this point is shrouded in uncertaintyHenry James
b
: to veil under another appearance (as by obscuring or disguising)
shrouded the decision in a series of formalities
2
: to dress for burial
3
a
archaic : to cover for protection
b
obsolete : conceal

intransitive verb

archaic : to seek shelter

Examples of shroud in a Sentence

Noun the truth of the affair will always be hidden under a shroud of secrecy Verb The mountains were shrouded in fog. Their work is shrouded in secrecy.
Recent Examples on the Web
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Noun
He had been released by the Philadelphia Phillies in February amid a shroud of controversy regarding his relationship with manager Rob Thomson and others in the organization. Kevin Acee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 15 Mar. 2026 Many of its songs crystallize around samples of choirs singing, their soft syllables dissolving beneath heavy shrouds of reverb. Sasha Geffen, Pitchfork, 10 Mar. 2026
Verb
The Castro family has controlled Cuba tightly for nearly 70 years, their personal lives shrouded in secrecy. New York Times, 21 Mar. 2026 And at Cal State San Marcos, a central statue of Chavez was shrouded in moving blankets Wednesday. Maura Fox, San Diego Union-Tribune, 19 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for shroud

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English, garment, from Old English scrūd; akin to Old English scrēade shred — more at shred entry 1

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 4

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 3a

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

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Cite this Entry

“Shroud.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/shroud. Accessed 22 Mar. 2026.

Kids Definition

shroud

1 of 2 noun
1
: the cloth placed over or around a dead body
2
: something that covers or shelters like a shroud
a shroud of secrecy
3
: one of the ropes that go from the masthead of a ship to the sides to provide support to the mast

shroud

2 of 2 verb
: to cover with or as if with a shroud
shrouded in fog

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