When it comes to finding the perfect word to describe the act of hiding, language can be surprisingly diverse and creative. From casual conversations to online interactions, the slang for hide can vary greatly depending on the context. Luckily, our team has gathered a list of some of the most popular and intriguing terms used to convey the concept of concealment. Get ready to expand your vocabulary and uncover some hidden gems in the world of slang!
Click above to generate some slangs
1. Dip
To “dip” means to leave a place or situation abruptly and without drawing attention. It is often used when someone wants to hide or escape from a certain situation.
- For example, “I saw the police coming, so I had to dip out of there.”
- A person might say, “I need to dip from this party before my ex shows up.”
- Another might ask, “Did you see John dip out of the meeting early?”
2. Lay low
To “lay low” means to hide or stay out of sight in order to avoid attention or trouble. It is often used when someone wants to hide from someone or something.
- For instance, “After the scandal, the celebrity decided to lay low for a while.”
- A person might say, “I need to lay low until things calm down.”
- Another might advise, “If you don’t want to get caught, lay low and stay quiet.”
3. Ghost
To “ghost” means to disappear suddenly and without any explanation or contact. It is often used when someone wants to hide or cut off all communication with someone else.
- For example, “He was supposed to meet me for lunch, but he totally ghosted me.”
- A person might say, “I’m going to ghost my ex and move on with my life.”
- Another might ask, “Have you heard from Sarah? She seems to have ghosted everyone lately.”
4. Duck out
To “duck out” means to leave a place or situation quickly and quietly, often to avoid being noticed or seen. It is similar to “dip” but implies a more subtle and sneaky departure.
- For instance, “I saw my ex at the party, so I had to duck out before he saw me.”
- A person might say, “I’m going to duck out of this meeting early and avoid the boss.”
- Another might comment, “She always finds a way to duck out of doing her share of the work.”
5. Skedaddle
To “skedaddle” means to run away or leave a place in a hurry, often to escape from something or someone. It is a more playful and informal term for hiding or making a quick getaway.
- For example, “When the teacher turned her back, the students skedaddled out of the classroom.”
- A person might say, “I need to skedaddle before they catch me.”
- Another might exclaim, “Skedaddle, everyone! The police are coming!”
6. Vanish
To disappear suddenly or completely.
- For example, “He vanished into thin air, leaving no trace behind.”
- A magician might say, “Watch closely as I make this coin vanish.”
- In a mystery novel, a character might say, “The suspect vanished from the crime scene before anyone could catch them.”
7. Camouflage
To hide or blend in with one’s surroundings, often by using colors or patterns that resemble the environment.
- For instance, “The soldier wore camouflage to hide in the forest.”
- A hunter might say, “Wearing camouflage clothing helps me blend in with the trees.”
- A person discussing fashion might comment, “Camouflage patterns are popular this season.”
8. Shroud
To cover or envelop completely, often with a sense of secrecy or mystery.
- For example, “The fog shrouded the city, making it difficult to see.”
- A person might say, “She shrouded herself in a cloak to hide her identity.”
- In a horror movie, a character might say, “The old house was shrouded in darkness and secrets.”
9. Conceal
To keep something or someone from being seen or known.
- For instance, “He concealed the evidence in a hidden compartment.”
- A spy might say, “I must conceal my true identity to complete my mission.”
- In a game of hide-and-seek, a player might say, “I found a great spot to conceal myself.”
10. Mask
To hide or alter one’s true identity or emotions.
- For example, “She masked her disappointment with a smile.”
- A person might say, “Wearing a mask allows me to become someone else for a night.”
- In a theater production, an actor might say, “I must mask my own emotions and truly become the character I’m playing.”
11. Bury
– “He buried the treasure in a hidden location.”
12. Cloak
– “He cloaked his true intentions by pretending to be friendly.”
13. Disguise
– “He disguised himself as a delivery person to gain access to the building.”
14. Seclude
– “She secluded herself in her room to study for exams.”
15. Tuck away
– “She tucked away her savings in a hidden compartment.”
16. Shun
To shun means to deliberately avoid or reject someone or something. It is often used to describe the act of hiding from someone or staying away from a particular situation.
- For example, if someone is trying to hide from an ex-partner, they might say, “I’m shunning them completely.”
- In a group setting, someone might say, “Let’s shun that topic for now.”
- A person might shun a certain food and say, “I’m shunning carbs right now.”
17. Obscure
To obscure means to hide or make something unclear or difficult to understand. It can be used to describe intentionally hiding something or making it hard to see or comprehend.
- For instance, if someone wants to hide their identity, they might obscure their face in a photo.
- A writer might use complex language to obscure the meaning of a sentence.
- A person might obscure their true intentions by giving vague answers.
18. Steer clear
To steer clear means to avoid or stay away from someone or something. It is often used to describe the act of hiding from a person or situation in order to stay safe or avoid trouble.
- For example, if someone wants to stay out of trouble, they might say, “I’m going to steer clear of that party.”
- In a dangerous neighborhood, someone might advise, “Steer clear of that street after dark.”
- A person might steer clear of a certain food due to allergies or dietary restrictions.
19. Keep a low profile
To keep a low profile means to stay unnoticed or avoid attracting attention. It is often used to describe the act of hiding one’s presence or activities in order to avoid being noticed or caught.
- For instance, if someone is hiding from an enemy, they might say, “I need to keep a low profile until this blows over.”
- In a workplace, a person might keep a low profile to avoid getting involved in office politics.
- A celebrity might keep a low profile after a scandal to avoid media attention.
20. Fly under the radar
To fly under the radar means to stay unnoticed or avoid detection. It is often used to describe the act of hiding one’s actions or presence in order to avoid being caught or noticed by others.
- For example, if someone wants to avoid getting in trouble, they might say, “I’m going to try to fly under the radar for a while.”
- In a competitive environment, a person might try to fly under the radar to avoid drawing attention from rivals.
- A student might try to fly under the radar in class to avoid being called on by the teacher.
21. Go dark
To suddenly stop communicating or making oneself available, often with the intention of avoiding attention or detection.
- For example, “After the scandal, the celebrity decided to go dark and stay away from the public eye.”
- A person might say, “I’m going to go dark for a while and focus on my work.”
- In a spy novel, a character might be instructed to “go dark” in order to avoid being tracked or monitored.
22. Drop off the grid
To intentionally remove oneself from society or avoid being found or detected by others, especially through technology or social connections.
- For instance, “He dropped off the grid after winning the lottery to avoid unwanted attention.”
- A person might say, “I’m tired of the constant notifications, I just want to drop off the grid for a while.”
- In a post-apocalyptic movie, a character might choose to “drop off the grid” and live off the land without any modern technology.
23. Slip away
To leave a place or situation quietly and without being noticed or detected.
- For example, “She slipped away from the party without saying goodbye.”
- A person might say, “I managed to slip away from work early and avoid the rush hour traffic.”
- In a mystery novel, a suspect might slip away from the crime scene before the police arrive.
24. Blend in
To behave or appear in a way that is similar to the surrounding people or environment in order to avoid standing out or being noticed.
- For instance, “He tried to blend in with the crowd to avoid attracting attention.”
- A person might say, “When visiting a foreign country, it’s important to try and blend in with the local customs.”
- In a spy movie, a character might need to blend in with the enemy agents to gather information.
25. Shy away
To avoid or retreat from a situation or interaction, often due to fear, discomfort, or a desire to remain hidden or unnoticed.
- For example, “She tends to shy away from public speaking.”
- A person might say, “I shy away from conflict and prefer to keep the peace.”
- In a social gathering, an introverted individual might shy away from large crowds and seek a quieter place to relax.
26. Withdraw
To remove oneself from a situation or place in order to avoid detection or attention. “Withdraw” is often used to describe the act of hiding or removing oneself from a potentially dangerous or uncomfortable situation.
- For example, a person might say, “I had to withdraw from the party when I saw my ex there.”
- In a game of hide-and-seek, a player might yell, “I withdraw!” when they successfully hide from the seeker.
- Someone discussing avoiding conflict might say, “Sometimes it’s better to withdraw from an argument to maintain peace.”
27. Shirk
To avoid or neglect one’s responsibilities or duties, often by hiding or pretending to be unavailable. “Shirk” is commonly used to describe the act of avoiding work or obligations.
- For instance, a person might say, “He always shirks his responsibilities and leaves the work for others.”
- In a conversation about teamwork, someone might warn, “Don’t be a shirker and contribute your fair share.”
- A parent might scold their child, “You can’t shirk your chores and expect everything to be done for you.”
28. Abscond
To secretly or hurriedly leave a place, often to avoid arrest or punishment. “Abscond” is frequently used to describe the act of hiding or running away from a situation.
- For example, a news headline might read, “Prisoner absconds from maximum-security prison.”
- In a discussion about escaping danger, someone might say, “If you ever feel threatened, don’t hesitate to abscond and find safety.”
- A character in a book might plan to abscond with stolen treasure, saying, “Once I have the loot, I’ll abscond to a tropical island.”
29. Sequester
To separate or hide away someone or something in order to protect or keep them apart from others. “Sequester” is often used to describe the act of hiding or isolating oneself or an object.
- For instance, during a pandemic, people might sequester themselves at home to avoid spreading the virus.
- In a conversation about jury deliberations, someone might say, “The jury will be sequestered to prevent outside influence.”
- A scientist might sequester a valuable sample in a secure laboratory, saying, “This specimen must be sequestered to ensure its safety.”
30. Cover up
To hide or disguise something in order to prevent it from being discovered or known. “Cover up” is commonly used to describe the act of hiding or obscuring the truth or evidence.
- For example, a detective might say, “The suspect tried to cover up the crime by destroying the evidence.”
- In a discussion about scandals, someone might accuse, “The government is trying to cover up the truth.”
- A person might confess, “I had to cover up my mistake to avoid getting in trouble.”
31. Stash
To stash something means to secretly store or hide it, typically for safekeeping or to keep it hidden from others. It is often used to refer to hiding drugs or other illicit items.
- For example, “He stashed his cash in a hidden compartment in his car.”
- In a discussion about hiding valuables, someone might say, “I always stash my jewelry in a safe place when I go on vacation.”
- A person talking about hiding their snacks might say, “I like to stash my favorite chips in my bedroom so nobody else eats them.”