masking

[ mas-king, mah-sking ]

noun

1. backing ( def 4 ).
2. Psychology. obscuring, partially or completely, one sensory process by another, as the dulling of the sense of taste by smoking.

masking

/ 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

Other Words From

• un·masking adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of masking¹

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

Example Sentences

Scientists are working to set global standards for the myriad kinds of masks available to help consumers make those decisions—but until then, here’s what you need to know to make your own masking decisions.

From Quartz

Until a much higher level of community vaccination is reached, some degree of masking and physical distancing will still be needed.

From Washington Post

When you do masking and social distancing, you can artificially lower R naught.

From FiveThirtyEight

Distancing, masking and cleaning are still critical, officials said.

From Washington Post

The science is clear on the steps that need to be taken—including ventilation, air filtration, spacing between people, universal masking, and reducing the density of people.

From Time

Sheen plays Bill Masters as a doctor with a God complex, if God had been a sex researcher masking tons of insecurities.

From The Daily Beast

Part of the alias and the disguise is masking racism with the mechanisms of large, diverse institutions.

From The Daily Beast

I know from her students that the masking tape incident involved little more than hilarity.

From The Daily Beast

The scenes of penetration are obscured with masking or blurring.

From The Daily Beast

“I tried to find people that were really enthusiastic about dressing up and masking,” she says.

From The Daily Beast

He paid no attention to the comments, but drove back to the agency, successfully masking the grave concern he felt.

From Project Gutenberg

Black masking drapes were provided at both sides of the stage and behind the platform.

From Project Gutenberg

Avice might be Passion masking as Indifference, because he was so many years older in outward show.

From Project Gutenberg

Bring up my spears in solid column of a thousand men in front, masking the chariots.

From Project Gutenberg

No, sir; the policy is to inveigle the people of the North into civil war, by masking the design in smooth and ambiguous terms.

From Project Gutenberg