conceal
Americanverb (used with object)
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to hide; withdraw or remove from observation; cover or keep from sight.
He concealed the gun under his coat.
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to keep secret; to prevent or avoid disclosing or divulging.
to conceal one's identity by using a false name.
verb
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to keep from discovery; hide
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to keep secret
Synonym Usage
See hide 1.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
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concealabilitynoun
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concealednessnoun
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concealernoun
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concealmentnoun
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concealableadjective
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half-concealedadjective
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half-concealingadjective
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semiconcealedadjective
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subconcealedadjective
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unconcealedadjective
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unconcealingadjective
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well-concealedadjective
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concealedlyadverb
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unconcealinglyadverb
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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concealsimple
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concealssimple
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have concealedperfect
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has concealedperfect
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am concealingprogressive
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are concealingprogressive
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is concealingprogressive
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have been concealingperfect progressive
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has been concealingperfect progressive
Past
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concealedsimple
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had concealedperfect
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was concealingprogressive
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were concealingprogressive
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had been concealingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of conceal
First recorded in 1275–1325; Middle English conselen, concelen, from Anglo-French conceler from Latin concēlāre, from con- con- + cēlāre “to hide” ( see also hull 1)
Explanation
When you conceal something, you are keeping it from being discovered: “To avoid another argument with his cousins, Jonathan worked hard to conceal his disappointment at the outcome of the race.” The verb conceal can be used to describe the hiding of feelings (as in “to conceal anger”) or facts (as in “to conceal identity”). Conceal also can be used to describe the act of hiding or covering an item to prevent discovery. If you eat the last piece of chocolate cake, for example, you may want to conceal the evidence by removing the icing-stained plate from your room.
Vocabulary lists containing conceal
"Of Mice and Men"
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The Star Spangled Banner
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"Black Ships Before Troy," Vocabulary from the myth
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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.
And he used a cartoon avatar known as Bitmoji on Snapchat to conceal his age and present himself as a “a young, innocuous, and friendly looking boy.”
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 25, 2026
Many said they planned to conceal the symbol to smuggle it into the stadium.
From Barron's • Jun. 15, 2026
“Training runs are far easier to conceal than missile silos.”
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 9, 2026
The lavish public displays however, have not managed to conceal all the differences between China and North Korea.
From BBC • Jun. 9, 2026
He did not, however, conceal the glint of pleasure in his round, red eyes.
From "The Black Cauldron" by Lloyd Alexander
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.
