alias
Americannoun
adverb
adverb
noun
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of alias
First recorded in 1525–35; from Latin: “at another time, otherwise”; see also else
Explanation
Your alias could be as important as the name you use when you’re on the run or as simple as your screen name on a social networking site. Either way, an alias is a temporary name, one you don’t use all the time or for every occasion. If you crash your parents' lovingly-restored sports car into the garage when you aren't even supposed to be driving it, it might be easier to skip town and live under an assumed name, or alias, than deal with their reaction. Alias can also be used as an adverb to mean "also known as." Your parents might be less than thrilled when you introduce your new boyfriend, "John Smith, alias Lock-Jaw Johnnie, wanted in 39 states."
Vocabulary lists containing alias
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Bud, Not Buddy
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The Westing Game
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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:
Citing law enforcement sources, NBC4 reported that Fisher, under the alias Richard Graydon, worked as an executive at Immix Biopharma, a biotech pharmaceutical company in West Los Angeles.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 22, 2026
Prosecutors alleged that Rogers dealt with a Chinese handler who, under the alias Hummin Lee, posed as an academic when he introduced himself at a conference in 2013.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 15, 2026
Hector Rusthenford Guerrero Flores, alias 'Nino Guerrero,' was "neutralized" in southeastern Bolivar state, Venezuela's Ministry of Communications said in a statement Friday.
From Barron's ● Jun. 13, 2026
A network run by Kardo Jaf, who operates under the alias Kardo Ranya, is believed to have transported thousands of illegal migrants in small boats across the English Channel into the UK in recent years.
From BBC ● May 19, 2026
The detective on his case, Marie-François Goron, a man with a truly fabulous mustache, was convinced that Vernet was an alias.
From "The Mona Lisa Vanishes" by Nicholas Day
They had checked into the hotel using authentic Lebanese passports under aliases.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 24, 2026
Said, 48 years old, holds two British passports, one that expired this month and a second expiring in 2029, and has used several aliases, according to the U.S.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 30, 2026
In the Signal messaging app, the defendants all used a slew of nicknames or aliases, prosecutors said.
From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 24, 2025
Authorities said others arrested Wednesday had aliases including “Pollo,” “Ghost,” “Snowbella,” “Lil Speedy” and “Monkey.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 17, 2025
There was a time when that was one of many aliases she had.
From "City Spies" by James Ponti
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.
