conceal

verb

kən-ˈsēl How to pronounce conceal (audio)
Definition of concealnext
1
as in to hide
to put into a hiding place wisely concealed the documents in a drawer beneath a false bottom

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to obscure
to keep secret or shut off from view the defense attorney accused the prosecutor of trying to conceal exculpatory evidence

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How is the word conceal distinct from other similar verbs?

Some common synonyms of conceal are bury, hide, screen, and secrete. While all these words mean "to withhold or withdraw from sight," conceal usually does imply intent and often specifically implies a refusal to divulge.

concealed the weapon

When would bury be a good substitute for conceal?

While the synonyms bury and conceal are close in meaning, bury implies covering up so as to hide completely.

buried the treasure

Where would hide be a reasonable alternative to conceal?

The synonyms hide and conceal are sometimes interchangeable, but hide may or may not suggest intent.

hide in the closet
a house hidden in the woods

When might screen be a better fit than conceal?

The words screen and conceal are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, screen implies an interposing of something that prevents discovery.

a house screened by trees

When is secrete a more appropriate choice than conceal?

While in some cases nearly identical to conceal, secrete suggests a depositing in a place unknown to others.

secreted the amulet inside his shirt

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of conceal Shoplifting by concealing merchandise. —Colleen Cronin, Boston Herald, 9 Feb. 2026 Trials conducted at major ports and mail processing centers in Australia have detected animals concealed in various kinds of shipments. —Eve Bohnett, Fortune, 8 Feb. 2026 Choose something with solid front doors to conceal clutter. —Sarah Lyon, The Spruce, 8 Feb. 2026 The gun was concealed and loaded, according to authorities. —Jason Green, Mercury News, 7 Feb. 2026 See All Example Sentences for conceal
Recent Examples of Synonyms for conceal
  1. hide
  2. obscure
  3. bury
  4. suppress
  5. cover
  6. disguise
Verb
  • This means that bills get hearings, debates happen in public, and legislators are required to vote on issues instead of hiding behind process.
    — Eleanor Dearman, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 14 Feb. 2026
  • Maybe Mark Kelly and several other dissident members of Congress are hiding the sun in a big bag.
    — Alexandra Petri, The Atlantic, 14 Feb. 2026
Definition of hide
Verb
  • The individual, their face covered in a ski mask, appears to fiddle with the camera with a gloved hand before turning away to look for something to obscure the lens.
    — Anna Kaufman, USA Today, 11 Feb. 2026
  • But despite the new program’s promising rhetoric, the scientific framing of the announcement obscures a deeper policy problem.
    — Washington Post, Washington Post, 10 Feb. 2026
Definition of obscure
Verb
  • Only one body was identified by a family, while the others were buried on Friday.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 14 Feb. 2026
  • In a report published this month in Archaeological and Anthropological Sciences, a team from the Australian National University examined the tooth enamel of three individuals buried at the Dong Xa Iron Age burial site in Northern Vietnam.
    — Maria Mocerino, Interesting Engineering, 14 Feb. 2026
Definition of bury
Verb
  • Nevertheless, the free spirit of Americans cannot be suppressed.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 11 Feb. 2026
  • The royal government was also known as a dictatorship for banning political parties, suppressing revolts and political opposition, controlling the press and having its own secret police force called SAVAK.
    — Nollyanne Delacruz, Mercury News, 10 Feb. 2026
Definition of suppress
Verb
  • These grants can cover cleanups and sustainable cultivation projects, or even related efforts such as fish conservation.
    — Rachel Becker, Los Angeles Times, 12 Feb. 2026
  • Researchers revealed that the project covers the entire development chain – from innovative semiconductors and high-performance power modules to integration into key components such as on-board chargers and traction inverters.
    — Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 12 Feb. 2026
Definition of cover
Verb
  • What remains is a tool of self-discipline, disguised as self-help.
    — Jay Caspian Kang, New Yorker, 10 Feb. 2026
  • Political partisans tend to behave in a partisan way—even if that partisanship is disguised as apolitical, Christian living.
    — Elaine Godfrey, The Atlantic, 10 Feb. 2026
Definition of disguise

Browse Nearby Words

concavity
conceal
concealed
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Cite this Entry

“Conceal.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/conceal. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on conceal

Nglish: Translation of conceal for Spanish Speakers

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