cover-up
noun
any action, stratagem, or other means of concealing or preventing investigation or exposure.
cover-up
American
[kuhv-er-uhp]
/ ˈkʌv ərˌʌp /
noun
-
cover-ups
plural
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any action, stratagem, or other means of concealing or preventing investigation or exposure.
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Also coverup any of various women's garments, as loose blouses, jump suits, caftans, or sarongs, worn over a swimsuit, exercise clothing, or the like.
cover-up
British
noun
verb
-
(tr) to cover completely
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to attempt to conceal (a mistake or crime)
she tried to cover up for her friend
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(intr) boxing to defend the body and head with the arms
cover up
Idioms
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Wrap up or enfold in order to protect. For example, Be sure to cover up the outdoor furniture in case of rain , or It's cold, so be sure to cover up the baby . [Late 1800s]
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Conceal something, especially a crime, as in The opposition accused the President of covering up his assistant's suicide . [c. 1920]
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of cover-up
First recorded in 1925–30; noun use of verb phrase cover up
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:
We went back and forth on what Anton says, what Paul Baker says, whether you hear us or not, whether it’s a balloon cover-up, whether we show the kiss.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 31, 2026
She walked her across the street where she bought a cover-up.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 31, 2026
In her landmark report, Ockenden said Harriet's death "was compounded by a systemic cover-up and investigations designed to mislead, which took a profound toll on the couple's wellbeing".
From BBC ● Jun. 24, 2026
What started as an innocent mistake has ended up as a bad cover-up.
From MarketWatch ● Jun. 22, 2026
About my pretending not to see Peeta and my anger at their cover-up.
From "Mockingjay" by Suzanne Collins
They are the actions of a spoiled brat trying, and failing, to cover up the stench of losing.
From Salon ● Aug. 21, 2026
They also depicted him as a scapegoat whose prosecution was being used to cover up the Los Angeles Fire Department's failure to extinguish the initial fire.
From Barron's ● Aug. 19, 2026
“We don’t cover up for anyone,” Sheinbaum said Friday, repeating her frequent assertion that no one in Mexico — even ruling-party officials — is above the law.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 14, 2026
Now the 38-year-old from Little Hulton has branched out to paint other popular cartoon characters - including from The Simpsons and Tom and Jerry - to cover up swear words.
From BBC ● Aug. 4, 2026
“Come on, Bigger,” Jan said in a voice that sought to cover up everything.
From "Native Son" by Richard Wright
MPs are expected to approve the long-delayed 'Hillsborough Law' later, in a bid to prevent cover-ups linked to failures of the state.
From BBC ● Jul. 14, 2026
The prime minister is expected to scrap plans that would have given security services a blanket exemption from a law designed to prevent cover-ups in public life.
From BBC ● Apr. 13, 2026
Can you lay out the lies and fabrications and cover-ups?
From Slate ● Nov. 14, 2025
In turn, Patel tweeted a pledge that “There will be no cover-ups, no missing documents.”
From Slate ● Jul. 15, 2025
Sussex Police is examining concerns about avoidable harm and cover-ups in the trust's neurosurgery and general surgery departments between 2015 and 2021.
From BBC ● Jul. 10, 2025
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.
