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.
Ockenden added 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. 27, 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
Human rights activists and relatives of the missing quickly denounced the report as a cover-up — the latest attempt to “disappear the disappeared.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 6, 2026
One of the Wyatt-Johnston boys crashes into me, soaking my cover-up.
From "South of Somewhere" by Kalena Miller
One time out of a million the press might choose to lie or cover up the truth for what it considers higher reasons.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 17, 2026
Sugar is often added to drinks for mouthfeel and to cover up the off-putting tastes of functional ingredients.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 11, 2026
Some have even accused the American Fork City police of helping to cover up a crime, alleging they are working on behalf of Bricks & Minifigs.
From BBC ● Jun. 18, 2026
She then lied to cover up her actions.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 20, 2026
‘And I thought maybe you could get some garbage or old junk to cover up the back, so it won’t show...”
From "The Light in Hidden Places" by Sharon Cameron
The next stage of a new law being designed to stop cover-ups has been temporarily delayed after MPs raised concerns about whether it would apply fully to the security services.
From BBC ● Jan. 13, 2026
Can you lay out the lies and fabrications and cover-ups?
From Slate ● Nov. 14, 2025
"There is a culture of cover-ups," one told the BBC.
From BBC ● Aug. 8, 2025
In turn, Patel tweeted a pledge that “There will be no cover-ups, no missing documents.”
From Slate ● Jul. 15, 2025
He previously said while Labour leader that the law would help prevent cover-ups like the infected blood and Post Office scandals.
From BBC ● Jun. 24, 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.
