veiled

[veyld]

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

/ veɪld, ˈveɪlɪdlɪ /

adjective

1. disguised

   a veiled insult

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

Other Word Forms

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of veiled¹

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

Example Sentences

Silver said McOsker’s measures were “thinly veiled” political efforts to stop Ocean’s 11 from operating in his district.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

They veiled the stage in gauze on “Copy of A,” casting dozens of Reznor shadows while he strutted and howled about a despondent, depersonalized modernity.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

For a while it looked as if the eclipse would be veiled by cloud and rain across the UK but now it's likely that many of us will have clear skies.

Read more on BBC

It was all a commentary on the way things are: a veiled criticism and a challenge.

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Many social media users accused the slang term, which has grown in popularity on apps like TikTok, of being thinly veiled racism and an opportunity to say slurs without consequences.

Read more on Salon

Related Words

• cloaked www.thesaurus.com
• concealed www.thesaurus.com