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]
any action, stratagem, or other means of concealing or preventing investigation or exposure.
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.
(tr) to cover completely
to attempt to conceal (a mistake or crime)
she tried to cover up for her friend
(intr) boxing to defend the body and head with the arms
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]
Conceal something, especially a crime, as in The opposition accused the President of covering up his assistant's suicide . [c. 1920]
First recorded in 1925–30; noun use of verb phrase cover up
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
During the debate on the bill in November last year, Sir Keir also highlighted that Hillsborough was not an isolated example of a state cover-up.
From BBC ● Jul. 14, 2026
An external review found multiple failings, with Ockenden saying the case was "compounded by a systemic cover-up and investigations designed to mislead".
From BBC ● Jul. 4, 2026
What started as an innocent mistake has ended up as a bad cover-up.
From MarketWatch ● Jun. 22, 2026
But moviegoers won’t soon forget her impressive turn, communicating the stakes of a massive cover-up that sought to prevent the knowledge of aliens walking among humanity for decades.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 16, 2026
Mrs. Thornton stands and pulls on a cover-up.
From "The Miscalculations of Lightning Girl" by Stacy McAnulty
Sugar is often added to drinks for mouthfeel and to cover up the off-putting tastes of functional ingredients.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 11, 2026
At some locations, no logo was too small to cover up.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 27, 2026
The four pilot schemes, lasting up to a year, cover up to 100,000 appointments and are backed by £3m of funding.
From BBC ● May 20, 2026
Alliance sought a contempt order contending that the city was willfully obfuscating to cover up inadequate efforts to live up to its settlement.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 7, 2026
I try to smile at her, to cover up my fear, but I’m in a sweat.
From "The Light in Hidden Places" by Sharon Cameron
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 families of victims of the Manchester Arena bombing say they cannot support the current form of a new law being designed to stop cover-ups.
From BBC ● Jan. 14, 2026
Can you lay out the lies and fabrications and cover-ups?
From Slate ● Nov. 14, 2025
It would also ensure legal funding is provided to people affected by future establishment cover-ups or state disasters.
From BBC ● Jul. 31, 2025
In turn, Patel tweeted a pledge that “There will be no cover-ups, no missing documents.”
From Slate ● Jul. 15, 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.
