Dissemble
verb
To hide your real feelings or intentions, often by pretending to have different ones.
She tried to dissemble her disappointment by putting on a smile.
Often appears as...
- dissemble your feelings
- dissemble an idea
verb
To give a false or misleading appearance to.
The agent had to dissemble his true mission to avoid suspicion.
Often appears as...
- dissemble the truth
- dissemble a situation
verb
To hide your real feelings or intentions, often by pretending to have different ones.
She tried to dissemble her disappointment by putting on a smile.
Often appears as...
- dissemble your feelings
- dissemble an idea
verb
To give a false or misleading appearance to.
The agent had to dissemble his true mission to avoid suspicion.
Often appears as...
- dissemble the truth
- dissemble a situation
Definition 1 of 2
Pro Tip 1/3Pretense Necessary
Use when needing to pretend, often to avoid conflict or to be polite.
She had to dissemble joy at her rival's success.
Pro Tip 2/3Not Always Negative
It can imply cleverness or strategy, not just deceitfulness.
To dissemble his plans from the enemy, the general acted unpredictably.
Pro Tip 3/3Emotional Disguise
Especially relevant for hiding feelings or emotions.
During the interview, he had to dissemble his nervousness.
Pro Tip 1/3Pretense Necessary
Use when needing to pretend, often to avoid conflict or to be polite.
She had to dissemble joy at her rival's success.
Pro Tip 2/3Not Always Negative
It can imply cleverness or strategy, not just deceitfulness.
To dissemble his plans from the enemy, the general acted unpredictably.
Pro Tip 3/3Emotional Disguise
Especially relevant for hiding feelings or emotions.
During the interview, he had to dissemble his nervousness.
Pro Tip 1/3Pretense Necessary
Use when needing to pretend, often to avoid conflict or to be polite.
She had to dissemble joy at her rival's success.
Pro Tip 2/3Not Always Negative
It can imply cleverness or strategy, not just deceitfulness.
To dissemble his plans from the enemy, the general acted unpredictably.
Pro Tip 3/3Emotional Disguise
Especially relevant for hiding feelings or emotions.
During the interview, he had to dissemble his nervousness.
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Video examples
Rufus Griscom and Alisa...
was not just the life stage thing, which is, of course, relevant, but it was really more about our desire to speak very honestly about subjects that people have difficulty speaking honestly about. It seems to us that when people start dissembling, people start lying about things,
Video examples
Rufus Griscom and Alisa...
was not just the life stage thing, which is, of course, relevant, but it was really more about our desire to speak very honestly about subjects that people have difficulty speaking honestly about. It seems to us that when people start dissembling, people start lying about things,
Example 1 of 1
Quote examples
Whittaker Chambers
American Writer
My children, as long as you live, the shadow of the Hiss Case will brush you. In every pair of eyes that rests on you, you will see pass, like a cloud passing behind a woods in winter, the memory of your father - dissembled in friendly eyes, lurking in unfriendly eyes.
Quote examples
Laura Wasser
American Lawyer
Especially where financial matters are concerned, when it comes to dissolving a marriage, any dissembling at all is strictly against the law - on penalty of perjury. You need to disclose fully and factually, which is precisely what the discovery process is all about.
Quote examples
Adam Schiff
American Politician
In fact, the converse is true: At a time when the United States has been called on for a level of moral leadership, vision and inspiration not seen since World War II, we cannot afford to dissemble about crimes against humanity.
Quote examples
Francois de La Rochefoucauld
French Writer
We are so used to dissembling with others that in time we come to deceive and dissemble with ourselves.
Quote examples
Sheila Hancock
I can't keep my trap shut in interviews - I'm not very good at dissembling.
Quote examples
Whittaker Chambers
American Writer
My children, as long as you live, the shadow of the Hiss Case will brush you. In every pair of eyes that rests on you, you will see pass, like a cloud passing behind a woods in winter, the memory of your father - dissembled in friendly eyes, lurking in unfriendly eyes.
Quote examples
Laura Wasser
American Lawyer
Especially where financial matters are concerned, when it comes to dissolving a marriage, any dissembling at all is strictly against the law - on penalty of perjury. You need to disclose fully and factually, which is precisely what the discovery process is all about.
Quote examples
Adam Schiff
American Politician
In fact, the converse is true: At a time when the United States has been called on for a level of moral leadership, vision and inspiration not seen since World War II, we cannot afford to dissemble about crimes against humanity.
Quote examples
Francois de La Rochefoucauld
French Writer
We are so used to dissembling with others that in time we come to deceive and dissemble with ourselves.
Quote examples
Sheila Hancock
I can't keep my trap shut in interviews - I'm not very good at dissembling.
Example 1 of 5
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