masquerade

Fetched 2026-10-26 (cache).

Synonyms: masquerader, masqueraded, masquerades, maskerade

Antonyms: masquerader, masqueraded, masquerades, maskerade

Related words from Datamuse; suggestions, not definitions.

Noun

1. An [[assembly]] or [[party]] of [[person|people]] [[wear#Verb|wearing]] (usually [[elaborate#Adjective|elaborate]] or [[fanciful]]) [[mask#Noun|masks]] and [[costume#Noun|costumes]], and [[amuse|amusing]] themselves with [[dancing#Noun|dancing]], [[conversation]], or other [[diversions]].
2. The [[act#Noun|act]] of wearing a mask or [[dress up|dressing up]] in a costume for, or as if for, a masquerade [[ball#Noun|ball]].
3. {{lb|en|figuratively}} An act of [[live#Verb|living]] under [[false]] [[pretense]]s; a [[concealment]] of something by a [[false]] or [[unreal]] [[show#Noun|show]]; a [[disguise#Noun|disguise]], a [[pretence]]; also, a [[pretentious]] [[display#Noun|display]].
4. {{lb|en|figuratively}} An assembly of [[varied#Adjective|varied]], often fanciful, [[thing]]s.
5. {{lb|en|fandom}} A [[cosplay]] [[event]] at which [[costumed#Adjective|costumed]] [[attendee]]s [[perform]] [[skit]]s.
6. {{lb|en|obsolete}} A [[dramatic]] [[performance]] by [[actor]]s in masks; a mask or [[masque#Noun|masque]].
7. {{lb|en|obsolete|rare}} A [[Spanish]] [[entertainment]] or [[military]] [[exercise#Noun|exercise]] in which [[squadron]]s of [[horse#Noun|horses]] [[charge#Verb|charge]] at each other, the [[rider]]s [[fight#Verb|fighting]] with [[buckler]]s and [[cane#Noun|canes]].

Verb

1. {{lb|en|intransitive}} To take part in a [[masquerade#Noun|masquerade]]; to [[assemble]] in [[mask#Noun|masks]] and [[costume#Noun|costumes]]; {{lb|en|loosely}} to [[wear#Verb|wear]] a [[disguise#Noun|disguise]].
2. {{lb|en|intransitive|figuratively}} To [[pass off as|pass oneself off as]] a [[different]] [[person]] or a person with [[quality#Noun|qualities]] that one does not [[possess]]; also, to make a [[pretentious]] [[show#Noun|show]] of being what one is not.
3. {{sid|en|appear}} {{lb|en|intransitive|figuratively|by extension}} To appear as something else.
4. {{lb|en|transitive|rare}} To [[conceal]] (someone) with, or as if with, a mask; to [[disguise#Verb|disguise]].

Source: Wiktionary · CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wiktionary dump) · cached copy, not a rewrite.