Meaning & use
disguised
Last updated
“disguised” is a form of “disguise”. See that entry for the full set of meanings.
Meanings
adjectivenot comparable
Wearing different clothes or a changed appearance so that people do not recognize you.
Grammar: Used after 'be' or before a noun: he was disguised; a disguised police officer.
Patterns
- be disguised as someone
- a disguised person
- heavily disguised
The prince traveled through the country disguised as a farmer.
She came to the party disguised as a movie star.
Police in disguised cars watched the building.
adjectivenot comparablefigurative
Hidden or changed so that the real nature of something is not obvious.
Grammar: Often before a noun: a disguised blessing, a thinly disguised insult.
Patterns
- a disguised blessing
- a thinly disguised something
- be disguised as something
Losing that job turned out to be a disguised blessing.
His criticism was a thinly disguised attack on the manager.
The problem was disguised as a simple computer error.
verbtransitive
Past tense of 'disguise': changed your appearance or hid the truth about something.
Grammar: Takes an object: she disguised her voice; they disguised the facts.
Patterns
- disguised something as something
- disguised yourself as someone
- disguised the truth
He disguised his voice so no one would know him.
They disguised the old factory as a modern office.
She disguised her disappointment with a smile.
Word forms
| base form | disguise |
|---|---|
| third person singular | disguises |
| past tense | disguised |
| past participle | disguised |
| -ing form | disguising |
Common combinations
- disguised as
- He went to the meeting disguised as a cleaner.
- heavily disguised
- The car was heavily disguised with tape and paint.
- a disguised blessing
- Missing the flight was a disguised blessing.
- thinly disguised
- Her comment was a thinly disguised complaint.
- disguise your voice
- He disguised his voice on the phone.
Synonyms and how they differ
- hidden
- Means simply not able to be seen; 'disguised' stresses that the appearance was deliberately changed.
- undercover
- Used mostly for police or spies working secretly, while 'disguised' can describe anyone in costume.
- camouflaged
- Refers to blending into the surroundings, especially in nature or the military, rather than changing who you appear to be.
Opposites
Word family
Commonly confused: disguised or disgust? disguised or guise?
disguised vs disgust
'Disgust' is a strong feeling of dislike; 'disguise' is about changing how something looks.
disguised vs guise
'Guise' means an outward appearance or pretended way of behaving, as in 'in the guise of a friend'; it is a noun, not a verb.
Practice
Choose the correct sentence.
Choose one answer.
'Disguised as' is the fixed pattern for the role someone pretends to have. 'Like' compares things rather than naming the role, 'was disguising' needs an object, and 'for' does not fit this meaning.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “disguised”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.