dissemble

verb

di-ˈsem-bəl How to pronounce dissemble (audio)
Definition of dissemblenext
1
as in to pretend
to present a false appearance of he dissembled happiness at the news that his old girlfriend was getting married—to someone else

Synonyms & Similar Words

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2
as in to dissimulate
to take on a false or deceptive appearance children learn to dissemble at a surprisingly early age

Synonyms & Similar Words

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of dissemble With his multi-instrumentalist bandmates, PJ Moore and co-songwriter Robert Bell, Buchanan zooms into these exchanges to prolong them or dissembles them into jagged pieces that leave the bigger picture to us. — Sam Sodomsky, Pitchfork, 1 Feb. 2026 Authorities were forced to dissemble the back deck in order to rescue some of the pups that were beneath, according to the Strong Island Animal Rescue League, who assisted with the efforts. — David Matthews, New York Daily News, 7 Aug. 2025 Building trust in companies and their leaders isn’t easy, given many decades of dissembling. — Steve Denning, Forbes.com, 6 July 2025 Pushing back on reporters, at the time Scher often dissembled and appeared to brush aside concerns about what was clearly an increasingly out-of-control situation. — Gil Kaufman, Billboard, 19 July 2024 See All Example Sentences for dissemble
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dissemble
  1. pretend
  2. assume
  3. simulate
Verb
  • At one point, though, Jon Hamm does the voice of the mayor but there’s a robot who pretends to be him and is essentially wearing a mayor-skin suit.
    — Marah Eakin, Vulture, 21 Aug. 2026
  • But pretending botanical kratom can’t cause dependence is also dishonest.
    — Charles Trepany, USA Today, 21 Aug. 2026
Definition of pretend
Verb
  • States with higher average benefits would see larger cuts, according to CRFB, whose analysis assumes a 24% across-the-board cut.
    — Lorie Konish, CNBC, 16 Aug. 2026
  • Hayden Heights For years, any number of drivers passing the Hayden Heights Library on White Bear Avenue have assumed the boxy, unadorned 1979 building was some form of warehouse or private office, according to library surveys.
    — Frederick Melo, Twin Cities, 16 Aug. 2026
Definition of assume
Verb
  • The ride is more of an amusement park-like thrill attraction, in which guests will sit in two-person pods and then attach to a mechanical arm that will lift them into the air and attempt to simulate sensations of flight.
    — Todd Martens, Los Angeles Times, 16 Aug. 2026
  • Getting real, not simulated, data on the vest’s performance would mean sending it onboard an Orion spacecraft all the way to deep space and waiting for a solar storm to happen, which is hardly feasible.
    — Jacek Krywko, ArsTechnica, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of simulate

Browse Nearby Words

dissed
dissemble
dissembled
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Cite this Entry

“Dissemble.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dissemble. Accessed 24 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on dissemble

Nglish: Translation of dissemble for Spanish Speakers

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