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

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

Instead, researchers could only determine an average energy loss rate, masking the true and often unstable behavior of the qubit.

From Science Daily • Feb. 20, 2026

Jerry wished he could be as strong as his father, always in control, masking his sorrow and grief.

From "The Chocolate War" by Robert Cormier

Related Words

• cloak
• disguise
• mask
• veil