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Subterfuge vs Disguise - What's the difference?

subterfuge | disguise | Related terms |

As nouns the difference between subterfuge and disguise

is that subterfuge is an indirect or deceptive device or stratagem; a blind. Refers especially to war and politics while disguise is attire (e.g. clothing, makeup) used to hide one's identity or assume another.

As a verb disguise is

to change the appearance of (a person or thing) so as to hide, or to assume an identity.

subterfuge

Noun

  • (countable) An indirect or deceptive device or stratagem; a blind. Refers especially to war and politics.
  • Overt subterfuge in a region nearly caused a minor accident.
  • * 2010 , (Clare Vanderpool), (Moon Over Manifest)
  • How’s the spy hunt going? Uncovered any subterfuge ?
  • *{{quote-magazine, date=2012-03
  • , author=William E. Carter, Merri Sue Carter , title=The British Longitude Act Reconsidered , volume=100, issue=2, page=87 , magazine=(American Scientist) citation , passage=But was it responsible governance to pass the Longitude Act without other efforts to protect British seamen? Or might it have been subterfuge —a disingenuous attempt to shift attention away from the realities of their life at sea.}}
  • (uncountable) Deception; misrepresentation of the true nature of an activity.
  • disguise

    English

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • Attire (e.g. clothing, makeup) used to hide one's identity or assume another.
  • ''That cape and mask complete his disguise .
  • (figuratively) The appearance of something on the outside which masks what's beneath.
  • The act of disguising, notably as a ploy
  • ''Any disguise may expose soldiers to be deemed enemy spies.

    Synonyms

    * camouflage * guise * mask * pretense

    Verb

  • To change the appearance of (a person or thing) so as to hide, or to assume an identity.
  • Spies often disguise themselves.
  • * Macaulay
  • Bunyan was forced to disguise himself as a wagoner.
  • To avoid giving away or revealing (something secret); to hide by a false appearance.
  • He disguised his true intentions.
  • (archaic) To affect or change by liquor; to intoxicate.
  • * Spectator
  • I have just left the right worshipful, and his myrmidons, about a sneaker or five gallons; the whole magistracy was pretty well disguised before I gave them the ship.

    Synonyms

    * cloak * mask * hide

    Derived terms

    * disguisedly * disguisement * disguiser