veneer

noun
UK: /vɪˈnɪər/
US: /vəˈnɪr/

  1. A thin layer of wood or plastic used to cover a surface and make it look better.

    1. The table has a veneer of oak on top to improve its appearance.
    2. The cheaper furniture used a plastic veneer to mimic the look of real wood.

  2. Something that hides someone's or something's true character or feelings.

    1. He maintained a veneer of calm during the stressful meeting.
    2. Beneath the polite veneer, she was seething with anger about the changes.

Synonyms

surface overlay facing mask facade pretense
veneer transitive-verb

  1. To cover something with a thin layer of wood or plastic.

    1. They will veneer the cabinet doors with cherry wood.
    2. The furniture maker decided to veneer the cheap plywood to give it a quality appearance.

  2. To cover something unpleasant with a superficially attractive appearance.

    1. She tried to veneer her disappointment with a smile and a few polite words.
    2. The company attempted to veneer the scandal with a carefully crafted public relations campaign.

Frequently Asked Questions

The word "veneer" in English means: A thin layer of wood or plastic used to cover a surface and make it look better., Something that hides someone's or something's true character or feelings..

The phonetic transcription of "veneer" is /vɪˈnɪər/ in British English and /vəˈnɪr/ in American English. Click the 🔊 button to hear both pronunciations.

Synonyms for "veneer": surface, overlay, facing, mask, facade, pretense.

Example usage of "veneer": "The table has a veneer of oak on top to improve its appearance.". More examples on the page.