under the guise of
idiom
: by saying or acting as if something is other than what it really is
She swindles people under the guise of friendship.
Examples of under the guise of in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Wexner, who has not been accused of any wrongdoing in the Strauss case, was an OSU board member when Strauss allegedly abused young men at the school, mostly under the guise of doing physicals, from the mid-1970s to the late 1990s.
—
Corky Siemaszko, NBC news, 12 Feb. 2026
Since then AirBnb advocates claim that some cities — particularly those in tourist-heavy areas — have implemented de facto bans through burdensome requirements and expensive demands under the guise of public health.
—Mark Dee, Idaho Statesman, 10 Feb. 2026
Salley then takes that statement, finds the least generous reading of it, and repeats it back to Charley under the guise of trying to be her friend.
—Brian Moylan, Vulture, 5 Feb. 2026
Crooks, typically, text, call or email under the guise of being someone from the utility company.
—Susan Tompor, USA Today, 4 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for under the guise of
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Corky Siemaszko, NBC news, 12 Feb. 2026
Since then AirBnb advocates claim that some cities — particularly those in tourist-heavy areas — have implemented de facto bans through burdensome requirements and expensive demands under the guise of public health.
—Mark Dee, Idaho Statesman, 10 Feb. 2026
Salley then takes that statement, finds the least generous reading of it, and repeats it back to Charley under the guise of trying to be her friend.
—Brian Moylan, Vulture, 5 Feb. 2026
Crooks, typically, text, call or email under the guise of being someone from the utility company.
—Susan Tompor, USA Today, 4 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for under the guise of
Cite this Entry
“Under the guise of.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/under%20the%20guise%20of. Accessed 16 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
