MEANING
1. To reveal the real identity, nature, or motive hidden behind an appearance.
2. To take a mask off someone or something.
Use it for
Words that belong together
- unmask a deception
- unmask a motive
On the page
The correspondence unmasked the supposed reform as a land grab.
Nearby words
Word forms
- Base
- unmask
- Past tense
- unmasked
- Past participle
- unmasked
- Present participle
- unmasking
Full tense & aspect guide
- Present
- unmask
- Present continuous
- am/is/are unmasking
- Present perfect
- have/has unmasked
- Present perfect continuous
- have/has been unmasking
- Past
- unmasked
- Past continuous
- was/were unmasking
- Past perfect
- had unmasked
- Past perfect continuous
- had been unmasking
- Future
- will unmask
- Future continuous
- will be unmasking
- Future perfect
- will have unmasked
- Future perfect continuous
- will have been unmasking
Choose the auxiliary that agrees with your subject. These are constructions of one word, not separate entries.
Usage notes
Primary category: analysis / argumentation / evidence. Forms: unmask; unmasks; unmasked; unmasked; unmasking Legacy lexical fields mirror sense 1 only. Use numbered sense fields for all meanings. Established modern English lexical item. No separate regional spelling or grammatical inflection entry. Writing functions: argumentation, evidence, inference. Commonness: moderately common. Third-person singular: unmasks.
Practice this word in a sentenceYour margin notes
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