cloak
Americannoun
-
cloaks
plural
verb (used with object)
-
cloaks,
present (3rd person singular)
-
cloaked,
past participle, past
-
cloaking
present participle
-
to cover with or as if with a cloak.
She arrived at the opera cloaked in green velvet.
-
to hide; conceal.
The mission was cloaked in mystery.
noun
-
a wraplike outer garment fastened at the throat and falling straight from the shoulders
-
something that covers or conceals
verb
-
to cover with or as if with a cloak
-
to hide or disguise
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
cloaksimple
-
cloakssimple
-
have cloakedperfect
-
has cloakedperfect
-
am cloakingprogressive
-
are cloakingprogressive
-
is cloakingprogressive
-
have been cloakingperfect progressive
-
has been cloakingperfect progressive
Past
-
cloakedsimple
-
had cloakedperfect
-
was cloakingprogressive
-
were cloakingprogressive
-
had been cloakingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of cloak
1175–1225; Middle English cloke (< Old French ) < Medieval Latin cloca, variant of clocca bell-shaped cape, bell; see clock 1
Explanation
A cloak is anything that conceals or hides something, like an over-sized, dark raincoat you wear when you don't want your friends to see you're going to the movies without them. As a noun, a cloak is usually a loose piece of clothing that you wear over your other clothes, like a cape or a gown. It especially refers to an outer garment that you might wear while traveling in order to protect your outfit or to conceal your identity. As a verb, to cloak is to conceal or hide something. If you were a famous person who wanted to go out alone, you might cloak your identity with a cloak.
Vocabulary lists containing cloak
The Balcony Scene from "Romeo and Juliet"
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"Encounter"
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Unit 2: Pivotal Words and Phrases
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
The invisibility offered a protective cloak, allowing his existential confessionals to develop free of the expectations placed upon Sage Elsesser, pro skateboarder.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 7, 2026
Like Maddie, she can easily cloak compulsions under the blanket of modern body positivity.
From Salon ● Aug. 8, 2026
That painting depicts Christ on the cross, with a painter standing beneath him dressed in a mauve-pink-and-brown cloak.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 24, 2026
The German was supposed to be the elite coach who would make the difference when it mattered, throw off the perceived cloak of conservatism that held back England under Southgate.
From BBC ● Jul. 17, 2026
Clare began to pace, his cloak billowing up behind him each time he swiveled to retrace his steps.
From "The Undead Fox of Deadwood Forest" by Aubrey Hartman
Throughout the holy city, Iranian flags can be seen printed on white pilgrims' garments, cloaks, bags and buses.
From Barron's ● May 25, 2026
Then she makes a beeline for a gaggle of giggling children and expectant women, most in flowing black cloaks.
From BBC ● Feb. 1, 2026
Here, the evildoers receive sumptuous cloaks along with their metaphorical daggers.
From Salon ● Jan. 28, 2026
Oaks support more than 1000 species, while maples offer food to over 300, including swallowtails and mourning cloaks.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 31, 2025
And William can’t see their hands under their brightly colored cloaks.
From "The Inquisitor's Tale" by Adam Gidwitz
It’s cloaked language, but a nod to NIMBYs.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 1, 2026
Whatever happens will be cloaked in lies — and followed by gaslighting.
From Salon ● Aug. 18, 2026
In moments when opportunity is cloaked in nuance, we have long relied upon John Marshall, Goldman Sachs’ derivatives strategist.
From Barron's ● Jun. 10, 2026
The comfortable red blanket over that cloaked London's councils is no more.
From BBC ● May 9, 2026
One of the cloaked figures in the rear shifted.
From "Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky" by Kwame Mbalia
"This ability finds applications ranging from signal processing to invisible cloaking."
From Science Daily ● Jun. 12, 2026
I’m including the comments in full because of how out of character they were for a Fed chair best known for cloaking his future decisions:
From Barron's ● Mar. 18, 2026
These days, society’s most dangerous villains don’t bother with cloaking themselves despite what the conspiracy-minded choose to believe.
From Salon ● Apr. 16, 2025
And don’t be surprised if that picture is cloaking something behind its frame.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 4, 2024
Kaede’s eyes were light brown; Taisin saw her pupils dilating as they looked at each other, dusk spinning out around them, cloaking them in shadow.
From "Huntress" by Malinda Lo
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
