unmask

/ʌnˈmæsk/

//ʌnˈmæsk// verb

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"unmask" is a 6-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“unmask” is uncommon English (frequency #54,551 among 1,433 “U” headwords), classed as a verb. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

#54,551
frequency rank, English
1,433
“U” headwords

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - To remove a mask from someone.

Corpus desk

Index EN-unmask · unmask · English

unmask · rank #54,551 · 0 variants · 0 confusables

  • FREQ-RARE #54,551
  • LEN-LONG 6 letters
  • VOW-2 2 vowels
  • CONFUS-0 No pairs
  • VAR-0 0 variants
  • BOOK-MID 1,433
  • PHOTO-FINISH unfazed

Nearest frequency peer: unfazed (-1 rank slots)

Read with this headword: Spelling guide for this pattern

Desk codes from Wiktionary headword shape, FrequencyWords rank tier, confusable-pair count, generated misspelling depth, letter-cohort book size, and photo-finish peer. Not a difficulty grade.

Long-tail ranks near “unmask”

Sparse band: bars invert rank so rarer forms read shorter

corpus weight

What this shows Long-tail view: where “unmask” sits against similarly uncommon English ranks.

Source FrequencyWords open word-frequency list As of September 3, 2026
Key facts for unmask
PropertyValue
Headwordunmask
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechVerb
IPA/ʌnˈmæsk/
Letters6
Frequency rank#54,551
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Long-tail rank of “unmask” in English

This scale runs from the tiny cluster of words that carry ordinary speech (left) to the long tail of words almost nobody reaches for (right).unmaskfalls in this rarity band:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

The axis is logarithmic, with each marked tick roughly ten times rarer than the last. Rare peers in the same band: “unfazed” (#54,550), “unreservedly” (#54,552), “underhanded” (#54,549). Among 1,433 “U” headwords, “unmask” is #54,551. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Rare enough to double-check

unmask is uncommon English at frequency #54,551 among 1,433 “U” headwords, classed as averb, transcribed /ʌnˈmæsk/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. 6 senses are on record.

Zero misspellings are on record for unmask in our index, suggesting the orthography follows predictable English patterns. This entry stands alone in our confusable dataset, since nothing in our dataset looks or sounds close enough to cause mix-ups.

Etymologically, the entry records: From un- + mask. Compare typologically reveal (see more). The correct English form is unmask, spelled U-N-M-A-S-K.

Definition

  1. 1
    To remove a mask from someone.
  2. 2
    To expose, or reveal the true character of someone.
  3. 3
    To remove one's mask.
  4. 4
    To cease engaging in masking, to cease disguising one's autism.
  5. 5
    To expose something that was concealed or shielded from an enemy.
  6. 6
    To enable (an interrupt, etc.) by unsetting or setting the associated bit.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

These source excerpts show how unmask appears in context. They illustrate usage; the definition above remains the entry’s reference meaning.

  1. The Charieſt maide is prodigall enough, / If ſhe vnmaske hir beautie to the Moone.
  2. But instead of a direct answer to so important a question, Jones began to be very importunate with the lady to unmask; and at length having prevailed, there appeared not Mrs Fitzpatrick, but the Lady Bellaston herself.

Etymology

From un- + mask. Compare typologically reveal (see more).

This word in other languages

descubrir(Español)démasquer(Français)

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "unmask"?
"unmask" is spelled U-N-M-A-S-K. The IPA pronunciation is /ʌnˈmæsk/.
What does "unmask" mean?
As a verb, "unmask" means: To remove a mask from someone.
How do you pronounce "unmask"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "unmask" is /ʌnˈmæsk/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "unmask"?
From un- + mask. Compare typologically reveal (see more). See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Similar English words by spelling shape

Same letter count and similar misspelling depth for "unmask", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 6 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

uppity#54,553upturn#54,554witney#54,572yessir#54,579

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list