veiled

American  

[veyld] / veɪld /

adjective

1. having a veil.

   a veiled hat.

2. covered or concealed by, or as if by, a veil.

   a veiled woman.

3. not openly or directly expressed; masked; disguised; hidden; obscure.

   a veiled threat.

4. lacking clarity or distinctness.

   veiled sounds; a veiled image.

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veiled British  

/ veɪld, ˈveɪlɪdlɪ /

adjective

1. disguised

   a veiled insult

2. (of sound, tone, the voice, etc) not distinct; muffled

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Other Word Forms

• half-veiled adjective
• veiledly adverb
• well-veiled adjective

Etymology

Origin of veiled

First recorded in 1585–95; veil + -ed ³

Example Sentences

But for every poorly aged joke, there’s a gag or a bit of veiled social commentary that’s surprisingly progressive for its time.

From Salon • Apr. 18, 2026

Some viewers see it as a thinly veiled endorsement of the policy - hailed in the film as a crippling masterstroke to weed out fake currency from Pakistan.

From BBC • Mar. 24, 2026

Revealed in a shallow, veiled space, where light streams in gently at left, the figure’s soft handling is markedly different from the meticulously painted basket of fruit he offers to the viewer.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 11, 2026

It may be tempting to say what you’ll do if you don’t get results, with veiled threats of one kind or another, but consumer experts suggest it’s best not to go too far.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 10, 2026

Around her, masked and veiled men and women crowded onto the terraced ledges, stamping their feet as the action proceeded below.

From "Six of Crows" by Leigh Bardugo

Related Words

• cloaked
• concealed