dissemble
gb/dɪsˈɛmbəl/ us/dɪsˈɛmbəl/
C1
English
palástol, színlel, elkendőz
VERB
C1
FORMAL
1
palástol
C1
Usage pattern:
dissemble; dissemble about [something]; dissemble when [clause]
He tried to dissemble, but his voice shook when he said he was fine.
Próbálta palástolni az érzéseit, de megremegett a hangja, amikor azt mondta, hogy jól van.
She dissembled about her plans until she was sure everyone could keep a secret.
Titkolózott a terveiről, amíg meg nem győződött róla, hogy mindenki meg tudja őrizni a titkot.
In the interview, he managed to dissemble his disappointment and thank them politely.
Learner examples
I tried to dissemble my anger.
Megpróbáltam palástolni a haragomat.
She dissembled when I asked her why she was late.
Amikor megkérdeztem, miért késett, kitérően válaszolt.
Common mistake:
Often confused with disassemble (take apart). Dissemble is about hiding or pretending.
Meaning
hide true feelings or intentions
Collocations
dissemble about the reasons
|dissemble when questioned
|dissemble in public
|dissemble in response
|dissemble to avoid conflict
|dissemble out of politeness
|dissemble under pressure
|dissemble in a meeting
|dissemble with a smile
|dissemble for appearances
Synonyms
conceal (More general; dissemble suggests strategic social hiding.)
|
mask (Emphasizes covering emotions from others.)
|
prevaricate (Focuses on evasive answers rather than hidden feelings.)
Antonyms
be honest (Openly expresses what is true or intended.)
|
reveal (Makes hidden feelings or motives known.)
Themes
communication
|emotions
|relationships
Definition
To hide what you really feel or want.
To conceal your real feelings, motives, or intentions, often by behaving politely or evasively.
VERB
C1
FORMAL
2
színlel
C1
Usage pattern:
dissemble [emotion/attitude/quality]
He dissembled surprise, even though he had read the email the night before.
Meglepetést színlelt, pedig már előző este elolvasta az e-mailt.
They dissembled enthusiasm for the proposal to avoid offending their boss.
Azért, hogy ne sértsék meg a főnöküket, lelkesedést színleltek a javaslat iránt.
She dissembled innocence, but the evidence was clear.
Learner examples
He dissembled happiness at the party.
Boldognak tettette magát a bulin.
Common mistake:
Dissemble can mean either 'hide the truth' or 'pretend'; in many contexts they overlap.
Meaning
pretend to be different
Collocations
dissemble innocence
|dissemble surprise
|dissemble enthusiasm
|dissemble confidence
|dissemble concern
|dissemble interest
|dissemble agreement
|dissemble outrage
Synonyms
feign (A close synonym; feign is slightly more common and direct.)
|
pretend (More neutral and common; dissemble is more formal and implies calculation.)
|
affect (Suggests putting on a manner or feeling, often consciously.)
Antonyms
be genuine (Shows real feelings rather than a performance.)
|
admit (Stops pretending and states the truth.)
Themes
communication
|deception
Definition
To pretend, so people believe something false.
To pretend to have feelings, beliefs, or qualities that you do not have; to give a false impression.
VERB
C2
LITERARY
3
elkendőz
C1
Usage pattern:
dissemble [something]
The report was written to dissemble the scale of the losses.
A jelentést azért írták, hogy elkendőzzék a veszteségek mértékét.
He tried to dissemble the cracks with fresh paint, but they soon showed again.
Friss festékkel próbálta elkendőzni a repedéseket, de azok hamar újra láthatóvá váltak.
The new name was meant to dissemble the company’s ties to the scandal.
Common mistake:
This sense is less common in modern everyday English; most uses refer to hiding feelings or pretending.
Meaning
disguise by hiding or altering
Collocations
dissemble the damage
|dissemble a flaw
|dissemble the truth
|dissemble evidence
|dissemble the source
Synonyms
disguise (More common; focuses on changing appearance.)
|
camouflage (Often physical/visual concealment; more specific.)
|
cover up (Emphasizes hiding wrongdoing or an embarrassing fact.)
Antonyms
expose (Brings something hidden into view.)
|
uncover (Removes a concealment.)
Themes
deception
Definition
To hide something by making it look different.
To disguise or conceal something by changing how it looks or by using a deceptive cover.
Grammar
Dictionary form
dissemble
IPA
GB/dɪsˈɛmbəl/
US/dɪsˈɛmbəl/
Syllables & stress
dis - semble (2 syllables)
Stress on 2nd syllable (semble)
Word forms
Verb
- Base: dissemble
- 3rd Person Singular: dissembles
- Present Participle: dissembling
- Past: dissembled
Word family
Forms
dissembles
verb
dissembling
verb
dissembled
verb
Core family
dissimulation
noun
Related words
dissembler
noun
Expressions
No expressions linked to this entry yet.