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Is it correct to use "disguised" as in this sentence...

The economic boom in India DISGUISED the religious conflicts in many states.

...or should I use instead "veiled", "masked", "concealed", "obscured", or something else?

I feel that all these alternatives are somewhat wrong. The intended meaning is that the conflicts became temporarily less strong as a result of the booming economy, and hence became temporarily less visible, but were still latent and would reapper with all their strength in the economic depression that would follow the boom.

Would you know of any better word to replace "disguised" if "disguised" is wrongly used?

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    'Disguise' means to make something look like something else. I prefer 'obscured'.
    – Weather Vane
    Sep 25, 2022 at 9:57
  • Thank you very much for your answer. Would you say that using "obscured" is 100% solid in that context? It reads somewhat awkward to me but I am not native so how something feels to me is of little importance...
    – user161917
    Sep 25, 2022 at 12:15
  • There are others: overshadowed.
    – Weather Vane
    Sep 25, 2022 at 12:16
  • Thank you. My concern with "overshadowed" is that it conveys that the economic boom appeared more prominent or important than the conflicts, and that's not exactly what I am trying to say.
    – user161917
    Sep 25, 2022 at 12:19
  • @pierrot5 How did it obscure them without appearing more prominent than them?
    – Luke Sawczak
    Sep 25, 2022 at 12:35

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I changed my answer here after reading your comments about your intent. My understanding is you're not saying they eased conflicts or made them better, but rather made them less noticeable because of the economic boom.

Given what you said you mean, perhaps you should state it differently. For example:

The economic boom in India diverted attention away from the religious conflicts in many states.

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  • Thank you for your proposal. "To divert attention" is not exactly what I am trying to say. It is my fault. I did not explain myself properly. I am not native in English. It is difficult for me to describe things properly. I have edited the main question. What I am trying to say is something like this: The intended meaning is that the conflicts became temporarily less strong as a result of the booming economy, and hence became temporarily less visible, but were still latent and would reapper with all their strength in the economic depression that would follow the boom.
    – user161917
    Sep 26, 2022 at 4:56
  • I feel that concealed, masked, disguised, obscured or veiled might be appropriate words, but I cannot tell with native certainty if they are idiomatic and appropriate in this situation. Maybe there is a better word.
    – user161917
    Sep 26, 2022 at 4:58
  • PS: I don't think that there is a word that can encapsulate all of that long intended meaning. I am just looking for one that points in that direction and doesn't exclude it.
    – user161917
    Sep 26, 2022 at 5:04
  • Maybe something like temporarily concealed is appropriate?
    – user161917
    Sep 26, 2022 at 5:08

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