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Synonyms

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.
veiled British  
/ veɪld, ˈveɪlɪdlɪ /

adjective

  1. disguised

    a veiled insult

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

"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

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

Etymology

Origin of veiled

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

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.

However, information from China is often veiled in secrecy.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 4, 2026

“This crisis is not a fallacy nor a thinly veiled threat.”

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 15, 2026

US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent offered veiled backing for Alberta's independence last week.

From Barron's • Jan. 29, 2026

The Met Police Federation, which represents officers up to chief inspector rank, called the proposals "a thinly veiled threat".

From BBC • Nov. 8, 2025

His words confused me and his eyes were veiled.

From "Ophelia" by Lisa Klein

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

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.