masking

American  

[mas-king, mah-sking] / ˈmæs kɪŋ, ˈmɑ skɪŋ /

noun

1. backing.

2. Psychology. obscuring, partially or completely, one sensory process by another, as the dulling of the sense of taste by smoking.

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masking British  

/ ˈmɑːskɪŋ /

noun

1. the act or practice of masking

2. psychol the process by which a stimulus (usually visual or auditory) is obscured by the presence of another almost simultaneous stimulus

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Other Word Forms

• unmasking adjective

Etymology

Origin of masking

First recorded in 1920–25; mask + -ing ¹, -ing ²

Example Sentences

Hall, a self-employed silversmith, first noticed symptoms after coming off the contraceptive pill which she said had been "masking" the pain for 10 years.

From BBC • Mar. 15, 2026

Analysts say a relatively steady unemployment rate has been masking churn beneath the surface.

From Barron's • Mar. 15, 2026

That kind of market broadening is often viewed as a bullish signal—but the rotation turned violent in February, with muted moves in broader indexes sometimes masking sharper moves beneath the surface.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 27, 2026

Davis and Head make strong impressions, masking the pedestrian, sometimes cornball dialogue.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 26, 2026

Back when we shared a room, she was the one who'd divide up the floor with masking tape, building an invisible wall between us.

From "Americanized" by Sara Saedi

Related Words

• cloak
• disguise
• mask
• veil