masquerade

UK: /ˌmæskəˈreɪd/ US: /ˌmæskəˈreɪd/ ,(mas′kə rād′)

Inflections of 'masquerade' (v): (⇒ conjugate)

masquerades

v 3rd person singular

masquerading

v pres p

masqueraded

v past

masqueraded

v past p

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026

mas•quer•ade /ˌmæskəˈreɪd/   n., v., -ad•ed, -ad•ing. 
n. [countable]

1. a party of people wearing masks and costumes.
2. a costume worn at such a gathering.
3. false outward show:
   a masquerade of his true feelings.

v. 

4. to represent oneself falsely:
   [~ + as + object] masqueraded as a surgeon.
5. to disguise oneself: [~ + as + object]
   The spy masqueraded as an old peddler.
   [no object]
   He could be masquerading; who knows?

mas•quer•ad•er, n. [countable]

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026

mas•quer•ade  (mas′kə rād′), n., v., -ad•ed, -ad•ing. 
n. 

1. a party, dance, or other festive gathering of persons wearing masks and other disguises, and often elegant, historical, or fantastic costumes.
2. a costume or disguise worn at such a gathering.
3. false outward show;
   façade;
   pretense:
   a hypocrite's masquerade of virtue.
4. activity, existence, etc., under false pretenses:
   a rich man's masquerade as a beggar.

v.i. 

5. to go about under false pretenses or a false character;
   assume the character of;
   give oneself out to be:
   to masquerade as a former Russian count.
6. to disguise oneself.
7. to take part in a masquerade.

• Upper Italian mascherada; see mask, -ade¹
• earlier masquerada, mascarado, pseudo-Spanish forms of Middle French mascarade 1580–90

mas′quer•ad′er, n. 
Synonyms

• 1. mummery.

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

masquerade / ˌmæskəˈreɪd/ noun

1. a party or other gathering to which the guests wear masks and costumes
2. the disguise worn at such a function
3. a pretence or disguise

verb (intransitive)

1. to participate in a masquerade; disguise oneself
2. to dissemble

Etymology: 16th Century: from Spanish mascarada, from mascara mask

ˌmasquerˈader noun