dissemble
[ dih-sem-buhl ]
/ dɪˈsɛm bəl /
verb (used with object), dis·sem·bled, dis·sem·bling.
to give a false or misleading appearance to; conceal the truth or real nature of: to dissemble one's incompetence in business.
to put on the appearance of; feign: to dissemble innocence.
Obsolete. to let pass unnoticed; ignore.
verb (used without object), dis·sem·bled, dis·sem·bling.
to conceal one's true motives, thoughts, etc., by some pretense; speak or act hypocritically.
RELATED WORDS
pussyfoot, feign, dissimulate, hide, conceal, cover, whitewash, mask, cloak, camouflage, shroud, signify, stonewall, simulate, fake, affect, counterfeit, pass, falsify, sham
Nearby words
- disseize,
- disseizee,
- disseizin,
- disselboom,
- dissemblance,
- dissembler,
- disseminate,
- disseminated,
- disseminated cutaneous leishmaniasis,
- disseminated intravascular coagulation
Origin of dissemble
SYNONYMS FOR dissemble
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019
Examples from the Web for dissemble
dissemble
/ (dɪˈsɛmbəl) /
verb
to conceal (one's real motives, emotions, etc) by pretence
(tr) to pretend; simulate
obsolete to ignore
Word Origin for dissemble
C15: from earlier dissimulen, from Latin dissimulāre; probably influenced by obsolete semble to resemble
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
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dissemble
early 15c. (implied in dissemblable), apparently a variant of Middle English dissimule (influenced by Middle French dessembler or English resemble), late 14c., from Old French dissimuler, from Latin dissimulare (see dissimulation). Related: Dissembled; dissembling.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper