dissimulate

verb

dis·​sim·​u·​late (ˌ)di-ˈsim-yə-ˌlāt How to pronounce dissimulate (audio)
dissimulated; dissimulating
Synonyms of dissimulatenext

transitive verb

: to hide under a false appearance
smiled to dissimulate her urgency— Alice Glenday

intransitive verb

: dissemble
a politician's ability to dissimulate
dissimulation
(ˌ)di-ˌsim-yə-ˈlā-shən How to pronounce dissimulate (audio)
noun
dissimulator
(ˈ)di-ˈsim-yə-ˌlā-tər How to pronounce dissimulate (audio)
noun

Synonyms

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Examples of dissimulate in a Sentence

as an actress she had been trained to dissimulate, so she had no trouble hiding her true feelings offstage as well
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The result is that Republican politicians dissimulate much more, and of course there is no comparable primary competition. — Tyler Cowen, Twin Cities, 5 July 2019

Word History

Etymology

Middle English dissimilaten, borrowed from Latin dissimulātus, past participle of dissimulāre "to conceal the identity of, feign," from dis- dis- + simulāre, similāre "to pretend, assume the appearance of by one's conduct, imitate" — more at simulate

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Time Traveler
The first known use of dissimulate was in the 15th century

Rhymes for dissimulate

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Browse Nearby Words

dissimilitude
dissimulate
dissimulative
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Cite this Entry

“Dissimulate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dissimulate. Accessed 23 Apr. 2025.

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