English vocabulary · C2
Dissemble
/dɪˈsem.bəl/ · v.
To dissemble is to hide what you think or feel. You act in a way that makes people believe something else is true.
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Example sentences
- Kim dissembled with a warm smile.
- To hide his hate, Tom dissembles.
Word origin and roots
from Latin
- dissimulare — hide (from Latin)
Synonyms and nuances
- PRETEND — behave as though something is true (Act as if true)
- FEIGN — pretend to have a feeling (Show a false feeling)
- CONCEAL — hide something from others (Keep from being seen)
Similar words
- pretend
- feign
- conceal
- fake
- camouflage
Lesson notes
To dissemble is to hide what you think or feel. You act in a way that makes people believe something else is true.
Related: pretend, feign, conceal. Use dissemble when true feelings are hidden.
Kim dissembled with a warm smile. To hide his hate, Tom dissembles.
From Latin. dissimulare- means hide. A warm smile can hide a lie when you dissemble to fool a friend.