unmask

American

[uhn-mask, -mahsk] / ʌnˈmæsk, -ˈmɑsk /

verb (used with object)

to strip a mask or disguise from.
to reveal the true character of; disclose; expose.
Military. to reveal the presence of (guns) by firing.

verb (used without object)

to put off one's mask; appear in true nature.

unmask British

/ ʌnˈmɑːsk /

verb

to remove (the mask or disguise) from (someone or oneself)
to appear or cause to appear in true character
(tr) military to make evident the presence of (weapons), either by firing or by the removal of camouflage, etc

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

unmasker

noun

Etymology

Origin of unmask

First recorded in 1580–90; un- ² + mask

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Then he asked Google to unmask three devices.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 26, 2026

AFP found dozens of posts across social media, in which users shared AI-generated images purporting to "unmask" the agent who shot her.

From Barron's • Jan. 30, 2026

Other states are also looking at similar measures to unmask federal agents.

From Los Angeles Times • Sep. 20, 2025

And so on Monday, as Filipinos demanded an explanation, President Marcos Jr announced an inquiry that would "unmask the swindlers and find out how much they stole".

From BBC • Sep. 17, 2025

In the 1920s, during the Teapot Dome scandal, William had helped unmask the corruption in President Harding’s cabinet.

From "The Woman All Spies Fear" by Amy Butler Greenfield

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023