English Reference
Idiom idiom

take the mask off


To drop a facade and reveal one's true nature.

Meaning adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.


SIMPLE

He finally took the mask off and showed his true feelings.

CONTEXTUAL

After months of pretending to be happy, she took the mask off and admitted she wanted to quit her job.

COMPLEX

When the pressure of the investigation mounted, the politician finally took the mask off, revealing the cold ambition that had driven his career all along.


Related idioms8entries
  1. 01

    be taken ill

    To become ill.

  2. 02

    cross to take up

    Alternative form of cross to bear.

  3. 03

    forget to take one's medication this morning

    To be annoyed or irritable, or to behave in an ill-mannered way, particularly in the morning.

  4. 04

    get taken in

    To be fooled; to fall for.

  5. 05

    give and take

    A process of compromise or accommodation.

  6. 06

    give someone an inch and someone will take a mile

    Alternative form of give them an inch and they'll take a mile.

  7. 07

    have one's name taken

    To receive a yellow card.

  8. 08

    I take it

    Used to express one's understanding of another's position.

Last updated August 10, 2026