People in the USA often use special sayings to describe hiding something or keeping it secret. These sayings, called idioms, make language more colorful. Instead of saying “keep it a secret,” someone might say “keep it under wraps.” These phrases help people express ideas in a fun and clear way.
Idioms about hiding can be about keeping an object out of sight, protecting private information, or avoiding attention. Americans use them in everyday talk, at school, work, and even in movies. Learning these sayings will help you understand conversations better and make your own speech more interesting. In this article, we will explore some popular idioms about hiding, their meanings, and how to use them in daily life.
Idioms About Hiding
1. Keep it under wraps
Meaning: To keep something secret.
Example Sentence:
• The coach kept the new game plan under wraps until the big match.
• They kept the surprise party under wraps so she wouldn’t find out.
Other ways to say: Keep quiet, keep secret
Fun Fact/Origin: Comes from wrapping something so it can’t be seen.
Usage: Used when something is hidden until the right time.
2. Hide in plain sight
Meaning: To be visible but not noticed.
Example Sentence:
• The rabbit hid in plain sight among the white rocks.
• He hid in plain sight by blending in with the crowd.
Other ways to say: Blend in, go unnoticed
Fun Fact/Origin: Often used in nature or spy stories where something is visible but ignored.
Usage: Used when something is overlooked even though it’s right there.
3. Keep a low profile
Meaning: To avoid attention.
Example Sentence:
• After the news story, she kept a low profile for a while.
• He kept a low profile at school after the prank.
Other ways to say: Stay out of sight, avoid the spotlight
Fun Fact/Origin: Comes from military terms about staying low to avoid being seen.
Usage: Used when someone tries not to be noticed.
4. Out of sight, out of mind
Meaning: If you don’t see something, you’re likely to forget it.
Example Sentence:
• Once summer break started, homework was out of sight, out of mind.
• When he moved away, their friendship became out of sight, out of mind.
Other ways to say: Forget about it, lose interest
Fun Fact/Origin: This old saying has been in English since the 1500s.
Usage: Used when people forget about things they don’t see often.
5. Go underground
Meaning: To hide or keep activities secret.
Example Sentence:
• The group went underground to avoid being found.
• She went underground to work on her art in private.
Other ways to say: Disappear, go into hiding
Fun Fact/Origin: Inspired by movements that work secretly, like in underground tunnels.
Usage: Used for people or groups avoiding attention or discovery.
6. Sweep under the rug
Meaning: To hide a problem instead of dealing with it.
Example Sentence:
• They swept the mistake under the rug to avoid trouble.
• Don’t sweep your problems under the rug—talk about them.
Other ways to say: Cover up, ignore
Fun Fact/Origin: Comes from literally sweeping dirt under a rug to hide it.
Usage: Used when avoiding or covering up an issue.
7. Disappear into thin air
Meaning: To vanish completely.
Example Sentence:
• The magician made the rabbit disappear into thin air.
• My phone charger disappeared into thin air.
Other ways to say: Vanish, go missing
Fun Fact/Origin: This phrase has been used since the 1600s to mean vanishing mysteriously.
Usage: Used when something or someone disappears suddenly.
8. Lay low
Meaning: To keep quiet and avoid trouble.
Example Sentence:
• He laid low after the argument with his boss.
• We should lay low until the storm passes.
Other ways to say: Stay hidden, avoid attention
Fun Fact/Origin: Comes from hunting, meaning to keep close to the ground to hide.
Usage: Used when waiting for danger or trouble to pass.
9. Keep something close to the vest
Meaning: To keep something secret or private.
Example Sentence:
• She kept her plans close to the vest.
• He keeps his ideas close to the vest until they’re ready.
Other ways to say: Keep private, keep to yourself
Fun Fact/Origin: Comes from card games, where players hold cards close to their chest so no one can see.
Usage: Used when someone keeps information to themselves.
10. In the shadows
Meaning: Hidden or unnoticed.
Example Sentence:
• The spy stayed in the shadows.
• She worked in the shadows to help the project succeed.
Other ways to say: Out of sight, unseen
Fun Fact/Origin: Comes from the literal meaning of staying where light can’t reach.
Usage: Used for secretive or unnoticed actions.
11. Mask the truth
Meaning: To hide the real facts.
Example Sentence:
• He masked the truth about where he was.
• They masked the truth to avoid hurting her feelings.
Other ways to say: Cover up, hide facts
Fun Fact/Origin: Comes from wearing a mask to hide your face.
Usage: Used when someone hides or changes the truth.
12. Keep under lock and key
Meaning: To store something securely and out of sight.
Example Sentence:
• The teacher kept the test answers under lock and key.
• The jewels were kept under lock and key.
Other ways to say: Lock away, store safely
Fun Fact/Origin: Literally means locked with a key to keep it safe.
Usage: Used for valuable or private things.
13. Cover your tracks
Meaning: To hide signs of what you’ve done.
Example Sentence:
• He deleted the messages to cover his tracks.
• The fox covered its tracks in the snow.
Other ways to say: Hide evidence, erase proof
Fun Fact/Origin: Comes from hunting, where animals hide their tracks from predators.
Usage: Used when avoiding being found out.
14. Off the radar
Meaning: Not noticed or tracked.
Example Sentence:
• The new store stayed off the radar for months.
• He tried to stay off the radar after moving to town.
Other ways to say: Unnoticed, under the radar
Fun Fact/Origin: Comes from radar technology that tracks objects in the air or sea.
Usage: Used for people or things not getting attention.
15. Keep out of sight
Meaning: To hide from view.
Example Sentence:
• Keep out of sight until we yell “surprise!”
• She kept the gift out of sight until his birthday.
Other ways to say: Hide, stay unseen
Fun Fact/Origin: Common in everyday speech, especially for surprises or secrets.
Usage: Used when physically hiding something.
16. Under the table
Meaning: Done secretly, often in a dishonest way.
Example Sentence:
• They made the deal under the table.
• He paid the worker under the table.
Other ways to say: Secretly, off the books
Fun Fact/Origin: Comes from hiding something under a table to keep it out of sight.
Usage: Often used for hidden payments or deals.
17. Fly under the radar
Meaning: To avoid being noticed.
Example Sentence:
• She flew under the radar until she was ready to launch her business.
• He tried to fly under the radar at school.
Other ways to say: Go unnoticed, stay hidden
Fun Fact/Origin: Related to military aircraft avoiding radar detection.
Usage: Used when avoiding attention or recognition.
18. Behind closed doors
Meaning: In private, away from the public.
Example Sentence:
• The talks happened behind closed doors.
• They made the decision behind closed doors.
Other ways to say: In private, secretly
Fun Fact/Origin: Refers to shutting doors to keep things out of public view.
Usage: Used for private discussions or actions.
19. Hide away
Meaning: To go somewhere private to be alone or unseen.
Example Sentence:
• He hid away in the cabin for the weekend.
• She hid away from the noise to read.
Other ways to say: Retreat, withdraw
Fun Fact/Origin: Commonly used in stories about rest or avoiding people.
Usage: Used when someone hides for peace or safety.
20. Smoke screen
Meaning: Something that hides the truth.
Example Sentence:
• The excuse was just a smoke screen.
• They used the noise as a smoke screen to escape.
Other ways to say: Distraction, cover
Fun Fact/Origin: Comes from military smoke used to hide movements.
Usage: Used for actions meant to hide the real purpose.
21. In disguise
Meaning: Wearing something to hide your identity.
Example Sentence:
• The celebrity went out in disguise.
• He was in disguise at the costume party.
Other ways to say: Camouflaged, dressed differently
Fun Fact/Origin: Often used in spy stories or costume events.
Usage: Used when hiding who you are.
22. Tuck away
Meaning: To store or hide something safely.
Example Sentence:
• She tucked away the letter in her drawer.
• He tucked away the money for later.
Other ways to say: Store, stash
Fun Fact/Origin: “Tuck” means to put something in a safe spot.
Usage: Used for hiding or saving items.
23. Under wraps
Meaning: Kept secret until later.
Example Sentence:
• The movie’s plot is under wraps.
• The school kept the award winner under wraps.
Other ways to say: Hidden, confidential
Fun Fact/Origin: Similar to “keep it under wraps” but can be used on its own.
Usage: Used for secret plans or news.
24. Blend into the background
Meaning: To be unnoticed by not standing out.
Example Sentence:
• She blended into the background at the party.
• He tried to blend into the background in class.
Other ways to say: Fade into the crowd, go unnoticed
Fun Fact/Origin: Comes from art, where background colors are less noticeable.
Usage: Used for staying unnoticed in a group.
25. Vanish without a trace
Meaning: To disappear completely with no evidence.
Example Sentence:
• The hikers vanished without a trace.
• My pen vanished without a trace from my desk.
Other ways to say: Disappear, be gone
Fun Fact/Origin: Used in mystery stories about sudden disappearances.
Usage: Used when no signs are left behind.
26. Put out of sight
Meaning: To hide something so it’s not visible.
Example Sentence:
• She put the toys out of sight before guests arrived.
• He put the bills out of sight in a drawer.
Other ways to say: Hide, store away
Fun Fact/Origin: Everyday phrase used in homes, schools, and offices.
Usage: Used for tidying or hiding things.
27. Out of earshot
Meaning: Far enough away so no one can hear.
Example Sentence:
• They waited until the teacher was out of earshot.
• The kids whispered out of earshot of their parents.
Other ways to say: Out of hearing range, far away
Fun Fact/Origin: “Earshot” means the distance sound can travel to be heard.
Usage: Used for private conversations.
28. Keep in the dark
Meaning: To not tell someone about something.
Example Sentence:
• They kept him in the dark about the surprise.
• She was kept in the dark about the changes.
Other ways to say: Withhold information, not inform
Fun Fact/Origin: Comes from the idea of being in darkness and unable to see.
Usage: Used when someone is unaware of important details.
Quiz: Idioms About Hiding
Instructions: Choose the correct meaning for each idiom. Only one answer is correct.
Question Key
1. What does “keep it under wraps” mean?
A) To wrap something in paper
B) To keep something secret
C) To put something in a drawer
2. If someone “flies under the radar,” what are they doing?
A) They are piloting a plane
B) They are avoiding being noticed
C) They are jumping over something
3. What does “sweep under the rug” mean?
A) Clean the floor
B) Hide a problem instead of solving it
C) Decorate a room
4. If a person is “in disguise,” what does that mean?
A) They are wearing something to hide who they are
B) They are wearing new clothes
C) They are wearing bright colors
5. “Go underground” means:
A) Take the subway
B) Hide or keep activities secret
C) Plant something in the soil
6. If you “keep someone in the dark,” what does it mean?
A) Turn off the lights
B) Not tell them important information
C) Ask them to hide something
7. “Lay low” means:
A) Lie on the ground
B) Keep quiet and avoid trouble
C) Sleep during the day
8. What does “cover your tracks” mean?
A) Hide evidence of what you’ve done
B) Walk in someone else’s footsteps
C) Build a trail
9. If something “vanishes without a trace,” what happens?
A) It leaves marks
B) It disappears completely
C) It changes color
10. “Behind closed doors” means:
A) Inside a locked house
B) In private, away from the public
C) In a dark room
Answer Key
- B) To keep something secret.
- B) They are avoiding being noticed.
- B) Hide a problem instead of solving it.
- A) They are wearing something to hide who they are.
- B) Hide or keep activities secret.
- B) Not tell them important information.
- B) Keep quiet and avoid trouble.
- A) Hide evidence of what you’ve done.
- B) It disappears completely.
- B) In private, away from the public.
Wrapping Up
Idioms about hiding are part of everyday American speech. They make conversations more interesting and help express ideas in a creative way. From “keep it under wraps” to “fly under the radar,” each phrase paints a picture that is easy to remember.
In the USA, these idioms can be heard in schools, workplaces, and casual chats. Learning them can help you understand others better and make your own speaking and writing more colorful. The next time you want to talk about hiding something—whether it’s a surprise, a secret, or yourself—try using one of these expressions.
