What does veiled mean?
Veiled describes something covered with a veil, but the word is more often used figuratively to mean hidden, obscured, or deliberately ambiguous. A veiled statement or expression may conceal its meaning without providing a straightforward alternative, as when someone makes a veiled criticism or warning. The same sense appears when something is described as veiled in mystery or secrecy. As a verb, veiled means to cover something with a veil or to conceal its nature, significance, or details. A veiled voice or sound is subdued rather than sharply audible. The word is especially useful in formal, literary, and diplomatic writing because it conveys concealment with an implication of intention or suggestive obscurity. It can describe literal physical covering, but its figurative meanings are much more frequent in contemporary English.
Covered or concealed; hidden, obscured, or made ambiguous.
"The negotiations continued behind a veil of secrecy."
The figurative sense is dominant today and often implies deliberate concealment.
To cover with a veil, or to conceal or obscure something.
"Dense fog veiled the road and forced the drivers to slow down."
Often used figuratively in formal writing, especially for the deliberate concealment of information or meaning.
A veiled statement does not merely hide information; it can make the truth feel tantalizingly out of reach.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does veiled come from?
Veiled is formed from veil plus the suffix -ed, with the participial form used both adjectivally and as a verb. Veil comes through Old French from Latin velum, meaning “sail” or “covering.” The same Latin root is reflected in related words such as velum and velar, while veil developed in English into both a noun and a verb.
Related word forms
How veiled is actually used
Veiled is common in formal and literary contexts. It often suggests deliberate concealment or ambiguity, rather than an accidental lack of clarity. In descriptions of sound, it can imply a soft or subdued quality.
Easily confused with veiled
Veiled means hidden, obscured, or made ambiguous, whereas unveiled means revealed, disclosed, or openly displayed.