Word
conceal
Meanings
to hide something physically so it cannot be seen or found
to keep information, intentions, or feelings secret; not to reveal something
Definition
To conceal something is to hide it so that others cannot see or discover it.
To conceal means to keep something from being seen, found, or known. You might conceal an object by covering it or putting it somewhere out of sight. You can also conceal information or feelings by not revealing them. The idea often includes an intention to prevent others from noticing or understanding something.
Examples
- I tried to conceal my impatience during the long presentation, but my tone gave me away.
- You cannot conceal a mistake for long in a small team where everyone shares the workload.
- He managed to conceal the documents behind a loose panel until the search ended.
- She struggled to conceal her disappointment when the plan was rejected at the last minute.
- They were careful not to conceal key details from their partners, even under pressure.
Common mistake
Learners often confuse "conceal" with "concede" (admit), but "conceal" means to hide something.
More at C1 level
- ubiquitous Present, appearing, or found everywhere at the same time.
- xenophobia Xenophobia is a strong dislike or fear of people from other countries or cultures.
- genocide Genocide is the deliberate killing of a large number of people from a particular group in order to …
- conundrum A conundrum is a confusing and difficult problem to solve.
- pretentious Trying to seem more important, intelligent, or cultured than you really are.
More verbs
- analyze To examine something carefully in order to understand it or explain it.
- scrutinize To scrutinize something is to examine it very carefully and in detail.
- affect To affect something is to influence it or cause it to change.
- allude To allude means to mention or suggest something indirectly without saying it clearly.
- elude To elude someone or something is to avoid being caught, understood, or remembered.