What does concealing mean?
Concealing is the act of hiding something from sight, knowledge, or discovery. It is the present participle and gerund form of the verb 'conceal', which entered English from Old French 'conceler', ultimately derived from Latin 'concēlāre', combining 'com-' (intensively) with 'cēlāre' (to hide). In practice, concealing covers two closely related ideas: physically covering an object so it cannot be seen, and withholding information, emotions, or intentions so they remain unknown. The word carries a somewhat formal register — where 'hide' is the neutral everyday choice, 'conceal' appears more often in legal, journalistic, and literary writing, and can suggest deliberate deception, as in concealing evidence or concealing one's identity. Its derivatives include 'concealment' (the noun for the state of being hidden) and 'concealer' (a cosmetic product). Because secrecy sits at the heart of its meaning, concealing frequently appears in discussions of crime, privacy, diplomacy, and personal relationships, making it a precise and useful word whenever discretion or deception is involved.
The action or practice of hiding something or keeping it secret.
"The defendant's concealing of documents led to further charges."
Used as a gerund; 'concealment' is the more standard noun for this sense.
Present participle of conceal: to hide or keep something from being seen or known.
"She was concealing her excitement behind a perfectly straight face."
Appears chiefly in progressive tenses ('is/was concealing').
The word 'conceal' shares its ancient root with 'cellar' — both trace back to a Latin word meaning to hide away, which is why your wine cellar is literally a place of concealment.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of concealing
Concealing derives from the verb 'conceal', borrowed in the late Middle English period from Old French 'conceler'. The French term traces back to Latin 'concēlāre', formed from the intensive prefix 'com-' plus 'cēlāre', meaning to hide — the same root that gives English 'cellar' and 'celibate' via related Latin formations. Cognates sharing this root include 'concealment' and, more distantly, words like 'occult' (from 'occulere', to hide), reflecting a broader family of Latin hiding-words.
Related word forms
How concealing is actually used
As the -ing form of 'conceal', this word functions both as part of progressive verb constructions ('was concealing') and as a gerund ('Concealing evidence is a crime'). 'Conceal' is more formal than its everyday synonym 'hide', giving 'concealing' a slightly serious register suited to legal, journalistic, and literary contexts.
Easily confused with concealing
'Canceling' means deciding an event will not happen, while 'concealing' means hiding or keeping something secret.