dissemble

American  

[dih-sem-buhl] / dɪˈsɛm bəl /

verb (used with object)

dissembled, dissembling

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)

dissembled, dissembling

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

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

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

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

From Salon • Sep. 19, 2021

You can equivocate, or dissemble, or palter, or mislead, or prevaricate, or fib, or perjure.

From Washington Post • May 3, 2021

To dissemble your feelings, to control your face, to do what everyone else was doing, was an instinctive reaction.

From "1984" by George Orwell