Meaning & use

dissemble

verb·Advanced

To conceal one's true feelings, motives, or beliefs by pretending something else.

See it in a sentence

He dissembled his disappointment and warmly congratulated the surprise winner.

Skilled negotiators sometimes dissemble to avoid revealing their real priorities.

A note on using this word

Dissemble is more formal than lie; it emphasizes hiding the truth through pretense rather than stating a direct falsehood.

Words with a similar meaning

Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.

Words with an opposite meaning

revealdisclose

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