Dissimulation, n.
Etymology: [L. dissimulatio: cf. F. dissimulation.]
The act of dissembling; a hiding under a false appearance; concealment by feigning; false pretension; hypocrisy. Let love be without dissimulation. Rom. xii. 9. Dissimulation . . . when a man lets fall signs and arguments that he is not that he is. Bacon. Simulation is a pretense of what is not, and dissimulation a concealment of what is. Tatler.
Shades of meaning
Fernald has no entry of its own for dissimulation; he lists it under deception, hypocrisy, pretense.
Where he writes about it:
Dissimulation is rather a concealing of what is than a pretense of what is not. — from deception
Synonyms
deceptionhypocrisypretenseaffectationairassumptioncantcloakcolorcraftcunningdeceitdeceitfulnessdelusiondisguisedouble-dealingduplicityexcusefabricationfalsehoodfinesseformalismfraudguileimpositionlielyingmaskpharisaismpietismpretensionpretextprevaricationrusesanctimoniousnesssanctimonyseemingsemblanceshamshowsimulationsubterfugetricktrickeryuntruthwile