thinly veiled

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "thinly veiled" is correct and can be used in written English.
It is used to describe something that is subtly hiding an underlying meaning or intention. For example: "His comment was a thinly veiled insult to his colleague."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Was its foul-tempered supermodel a thinly veiled Naomi Campbell?

The New York Times - Books

It is thinly veiled social Darwinism," Mr. Obama said.

The New York Times

It is just a thinly veiled thuggish threat, really.

The Economist

Other groups even issued thinly veiled threats of legal action.

The New York Times

The rivalry between Maliki and Abadi is thinly veiled.

The Washington Post

A second purpose of the study was thinly veiled: activism.

The Washington Post

Paxman displays thinly veiled disdain for Newsnight's new weather segment.

The Guardian

She laughs at the thinly veiled attempt for a scoop.

The Guardian

In Canada, the reaction was one of thinly veiled outrage.

The New Yorker

India's trade minister described the opposition as thinly veiled "racism".

The Guardian - Business

The purpose behind this kind of service is thinly veiled.

The New York Times - Food

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "thinly veiled" to describe something that is not openly expressed but is easily understood or perceived. This suggests a lack of subtlety in the attempt to conceal something.

Common error

Avoid using "thinly veiled" when describing something completely obvious. The phrase implies a degree of concealment, however slight; if something is blatant, a different descriptor is more appropriate.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "thinly veiled" functions as an adjective modifying a noun, describing the quality of something being subtly concealed or disguised. Ludwig AI provides numerous examples showing how it qualifies intentions, threats, or feelings.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

98%

Formal & Business

1%

Science

1%

Less common in

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "thinly veiled" is a common and grammatically correct way to describe something subtly concealed. As Ludwig AI confirms, it's most often found in news and media contexts, conveying a lack of transparency. Related phrases like "barely concealed" and "slightly disguised" offer similar nuances. When using "thinly veiled", ensure the context involves some degree of concealment, however minimal, to avoid misrepresenting the situation. It's a versatile phrase for highlighting subtle intentions or meanings.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

barely concealed

Focuses on the minimal effort to hide something.

slightly disguised

Emphasizes the act of altering appearance to hide identity or intention.

poorly disguised

Highlights the ineffectiveness of the attempt to conceal.

weakly disguised

Stresses the feebleness of the disguise.

subtly implied

Shifts the focus to indirect communication rather than concealment.

scarcely hidden

Indicates something is almost in plain sight.

lightly masked

Uses "masked" to suggest a covering, but only lightly.

faintly concealed

Emphasizes the subtlety of the concealment.

badly hidden

Focuses on the poor job of hiding something.

loosely concealed

The manner of hiding is not very strict.

FAQs

How to use "thinly veiled" in a sentence?

You can use "thinly veiled" to describe something that is subtly concealed or disguised. For instance, "His comment was a "thinly veiled" threat."

What can I say instead of "thinly veiled"?

Alternatives include "barely concealed", "slightly disguised", or "subtly implied", depending on the context.

Which is correct, "thinly veiled" or "thickly veiled"?

"Thinly veiled" is used when something is only slightly concealed, while "thickly veiled" implies a strong or obvious attempt at concealment.

What's the difference between "thinly veiled" and "blatant"?

"Thinly veiled" suggests a subtle attempt at hiding something, while "blatant" means something is open and unashamed; the opposite of concealed.