Act
Act noun - A display of emotion or behavior that is insincere or intended to deceive.
Usage example: was putting on an act when she said she didn't mind being left out of the outing
Masquerade is a synonym for act in pretence topic. In some cases you can use "Masquerade" instead the word "Act" as a noun or a verb, when it comes to topics like honest, disguise, pretend.
Masquerade
Masquerade noun - A display of emotion or behavior that is insincere or intended to deceive.
Usage example: although she was deeply bored, she maintained a masquerade of polite interest as her guest droned on
Act is a synonym for masquerade in pretence topic. You can use "Act" instead the word "Masquerade" as a noun or a verb, if it concerns topics such as honest, disguise.
Nearby Words: masqueraded, masquerading
Mutual synonyms
How words are described
Both words in one sentence
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The second act of the Lloyd-Webber version of The Phantom of the Opera begins with a massive masquerade ball (which the Phantom, of course, crashes).
Source: Dances and Balls -
Seemingly Kouji bought their masquerade, but shortly after he suggested them dropping their act, and he revealed that he had suspected it all along.
Source: Uncanny Valley Girl -
He explicitly has to deal with suddenly having 'homosexual' feelings, and even fully accepts and chooses to act on them before the masquerade is revealed to him.
Source: Sweet on Polly Oliver
Cite this Source
Masquerade and Act. (2016). Retrieved 2026, August 15, from https://thesaurus.plus/related/act/masquerade
Act & Masquerade. N.p., 2016. Web. 15 Aug. 2026. <https://thesaurus.plus/related/act/masquerade>.
Masquerade or Act. 2016. Accessed August 15, 2026. https://thesaurus.plus/related/act/masquerade.
Google Ngram Viewer shows how "act" and "masquerade" have occurred on timeline