mask away

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "mask away" is not standard in written English and may not be widely understood.
It could be used in contexts where one is referring to concealing or hiding something, but it is not a common expression. Example: "She tried to mask away her feelings of sadness with a smile."

News & Media

Wiki

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

9 human-written examples

In a recent memoir of family life, Wallace's brother Allen described these early trespasses on the theatrical world as "shows that explored the dark underbelly of life and tore the mask away from genteel society".

The Guardian

"The minipleats form a juncture which creates a breathing chamber in front of the mouth, giving more breathing surface area and also keeping the mask away from the wearer's mouth so that they can talk with less interference," he said.

The New York Times

Ballard has said that he wanted "to force the reader to face what I was laying out", that he was determined "to throw the mask away and say, look, this is me, these are my fantasies, my dreams".

The Guardian - Books

Dylann Roof tore that mask away.

Huffington Post

She returns home to her mother, tossing the mask away.

Wikipedia

Throw that mask away and let others in.

Huffington Post

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

49 human-written examples

Masking away the yellow part from the reconstruction in masked refinements yields reference projections that only contain the red part.

eLife

Members of his unit began to cheat, pulling the masks away from their faces.

The New Yorker

The arrival of the check pulls the masks away: all of this is illusion, a staged drama.

The New York Times - Books

At 115th Street and Madison Avenue, police had put up barricades and were diverting pedestrians, many of whom were wearing particle masks, away from the site of the accident.

The New Yorker

"The diplomats who have talked to us with courtesy up to now have in the past few days taken the masks away from their faces and are showing their true image," said the supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "mask away", ensure the context clearly indicates what is being concealed or removed. For example, "She tried to mask away her insecurities with humor."

Common error

Avoid using "mask away" in formal contexts where more precise and conventional vocabulary, such as "conceal" or "hide", is preferred. The phrase may sound informal or ambiguous.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "mask away" functions primarily as a phrasal verb, where "mask" acts as the verb indicating concealment, and "away" modifies its action to suggest removal or distancing. As noted by Ludwig AI, this usage might not be immediately recognized, making context crucial.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

60%

Wiki

20%

Science

20%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "mask away" describes the act of concealing or hiding something, often emotions or insecurities. While grammatically acceptable, Ludwig AI points out it's not a standard or widely recognized expression, making it crucial to use it in contexts where the meaning is clear. More formal alternatives like "conceal" or "hide" might be preferable in certain settings. The phrase appears most frequently in news and media, with less common usage in academic or formal business contexts. While “mask away” is understandable, writers should be mindful of its relative rarity and potential for ambiguity, opting for more conventional terms in formal writing to ensure clarity.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

hide away

Focuses on the act of hiding something from view or knowledge, similar to concealing emotions or truth.

conceal

Implies deliberately keeping something secret or hidden, akin to masking true feelings.

cover up

Suggests an attempt to prevent something scandalous or damaging from becoming public.

block out

Emphasizes preventing something, like a memory or emotion, from affecting one's thoughts or feelings.

obfuscate

Indicates making something unclear, obscure, or unintelligible.

gloss over

Suggests treating something lightly or superficially, avoiding detailed examination.

brush aside

Implies dismissing something as unimportant or irrelevant.

paper over

Describes concealing problems or disagreements temporarily without resolving them.

screen off

Implies physically shielding or separating something from view or access.

camouflage

Suggests disguising something to blend in with its surroundings.

FAQs

What does "mask away" mean?

"Mask away" generally means to conceal, hide, or cover something, often emotions or insecurities, to prevent them from being seen or acknowledged.

How can I use "mask away" in a sentence?

You can use "mask away" to describe an action of concealing something. For example, "He used humor to "hide away" his nervousness".

What are some alternatives to "mask away"?

Alternatives include "conceal", "cover up", "hide away", or "block out", depending on the specific nuance you want to convey.

Is "mask away" formal or informal?

"Mask away" tends to be more informal. In formal writing, consider using more precise and standard alternatives like "conceal" or "obfuscate".