dissemble

American  

[dih-sem-buhl] / dɪˈsɛm bəl /

verb (used with object)

dissembles, present (3rd person singular) dissembled, past participle, past dissembling present participle

1. to give a false or misleading appearance to; conceal the truth or real nature of.

   to dissemble one's incompetence in business.

   Synonyms:

   dissimulate, disguise, camouflage, hide, mask

2. to put on the appearance of; feign.

   to dissemble innocence.

3. Obsolete. to let pass unnoticed; ignore.

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verb (used without object)

dissembles, present (3rd person singular) dissembled, past participle, past dissembling present participle

1. to conceal one's true motives, thoughts, etc., by some pretense; speak or act hypocritically.

dissemble British  

/ dɪˈsɛmbəl /

verb

1. to conceal (one's real motives, emotions, etc) by pretence

2. (tr) to pretend; simulate

3. obsolete to ignore

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• undissemblingly
  adverb
• well-dissembled
  adjective
• undissembling
  adjective
• dissemblance
  noun
• dissemblingly
  adverb
• undissembled
  adjective
• dissembling
  noun
• dissembler
  noun

Conjugated Forms

Present

• has dissembled
  perfect 3rd person singular
• have dissembled
  perfect
• have been dissembling
  perfect progressive
• are dissembling
  progressive
• dissembles
  singular 3rd person
• has been dissembling
  perfect progressive 3rd person singular
• dissembling
  participle
• am dissembling
  progressive 1st person singular
• is dissembling
  progressive 3rd person singular

Past

• had dissembled
  perfect
• were dissembling
  progressive plural
• had been dissembling
  perfect progressive
• dissembled
  simple
• was dissembling
  progressive singular
• dissembled
  participle

Future

• will dissemble
  simple
• will have dissembled
  perfect
• will be dissembling
  progressive
• will have been dissembling
  perfect progressive

Etymology

Origin of dissemble

First recorded in 1490–1500; late Middle English dissemile, dissimill, alteration (by association with obsolete semblen, sembel “to bear a resemblance, appear to be”) of Middle English dissimulen “to assume a false appearance, be insincere,” from Old French dessembler, dissembler “to be unlike,” from Latin dissimulāre “to conceal the identity of, disguise”; see origin at dis- ¹, resemble, simulate

Explanation

To dissemble is to try to deceive someone. Your little brother tried to dissemble when you asked if he ate the last doughnut, but the chocolate icing on his face gave him away. Dissemble is a little more complicated than a straight lie or denial. When you dissemble, you disguise your true intentions or feelings behind a false appearance. To dissemble is to pretend that you don't know something, to pretend that you think one way when you act another way. "He worked for six months at that company before they discovered he was dissembling: he had lied on his application about his credentials and education."

Example Sentences

“This Court is now asked to determine whether the federal government has the power it claims — to dissemble and disassemble historical truths when it has some domain over historical facts,” Rufe wrote.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 16, 2026

But most of us had come to expect our leaders to duck, deal and dissemble until it would be too late.

From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 24, 2025

Decks of cards propagate, fly, dissemble and reconstitute after being shredded.

From Washington Post • Dec. 1, 2022

They don't merely exaggerate, dissemble or put a biased spin on things.

From Salon • Sep. 19, 2021

Crooked Ava had not lost her power to dissemble since her days of harassing Cora—she hooted and stomped as if it were the height of the Christmas celebrations.

From "The Underground Railroad: A Novel" by Colson Whitehead