Dissimulate

To conceal or disguise one's true feelings, thoughts, or intentions. It involves an active effort to present a false appearance or create a misleading impression. The act of dissimulating is often employed to protect oneself from harm, gain an advantage, or maintain social harmony by feigning an emotion or opinion that differs from one's actual state. It implies a degree of premeditation and conscious control over one's expressions and behavior. The effectiveness of dissimulation relies on successfully conveying the desired deception without arousing suspicion. It can be used for relatively harmless reasons such as maintaining a polite conversation or for more manipulative purposes to deceive and control.

Dissimulate meaning with examples

• During the interrogation, the suspect skillfully dissimulated his nervousness, attempting to appear calm and composed, hoping to avoid revealing any incriminating information and to appear innocent of any charges against him. His ability to keep a poker face and control his body language was critical to his planned escape from any conviction.
• She had to dissimulate her disappointment when she didn't receive the promotion, forcing a smile and offering congratulations to the successful candidate. She knew betraying her true feelings would damage her chances of future opportunities within the company, so she remained polite for a while.
• The politician was known for his ability to dissimulate his true beliefs on controversial issues, carefully crafting statements that would appeal to a wide range of voters, thereby maintaining a broad base of support despite his political stance.
• Realizing the danger, the spy dissimulated his fear when faced with the enemy agents. He had to maintain a facade of confidence to gather the data he needed to send to HQ without giving his true position, which would prove detrimental.
• He learned to dissimulate his feelings of loneliness after the passing of his wife; putting on a brave face for the children, he convinced them that he was fine with the situation, and it was a difficult task, since grief was eating him from inside out