HIDE Synonyms: 261 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: How is the word 'hide' distinct from other similar verbs?

Some common synonyms of hide are bury , conceal , screen , and secrete . While all these words mean "to withhold or withdraw from sight," hide may or may not suggest intent. // hide in the closet // a house hidden in the woods

Q: When might 'bury' be a better fit than 'hide'?

The words bury and hide are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, bury implies covering up so as to hide completely. // buried the treasure

Q: When could 'conceal' be used to replace 'hide'?

In some situations, the words conceal and hide are roughly equivalent. However, conceal usually does imply intent and often specifically implies a refusal to divulge. // concealed the weapon

Q: Where would 'screen' be a reasonable alternative to 'hide'?

Although the words screen and hide have much in common, screen implies an interposing of something that prevents discovery. // a house screened by trees

Q: When would 'secrete' be a good substitute for 'hide'?

The meanings of secrete and hide largely overlap; however, secrete suggests a depositing in a place unknown to others. // secreted the amulet inside his shirt

hide 1 of 3

verb (1)

ˈhīd

Definition of hide

as in to conceal

to put into a hiding place the thief had hidden the stolen jewelry under the floorboards

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in to obscure

to keep secret or shut off from view he tried to hide his criminal past she hid the cat's litter box behind a screen

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in to lie

to remain out of sight he hid in the closet while his roommate lied to the probation officer

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

hide

2 of 3

verb (2)

as in to lick

to strike repeatedly the grizzled quartermaster threatened to hide any soldier caught stealing provisions

Synonyms & Similar Words

as in to whip

to strike repeatedly with something long and thin or flexible threatened to hide the boys with his cane if he ever found them on his property again

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hide

3 of 3

noun

as in pelt

the outer covering of an animal removed for its commercial value seal hides are used by Eskimos to make footwear, boats, shelters, bags, and clothing

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as in leather

the hairless natural covering of an animal prepared for use boots made of shiny alligator hide

Synonyms & Similar Words

Synonym Chooser

How is the word hide distinct from other similar verbs?

Some common synonyms of hide are bury, conceal, screen, and secrete. While all these words mean "to withhold or withdraw from sight," hide may or may not suggest intent.

hide in the closet

a house hidden in the woods

When might bury be a better fit than hide?

The words bury and hide are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, bury implies covering up so as to hide completely.

buried the treasure

When could conceal be used to replace hide?

In some situations, the words conceal and hide are roughly equivalent. However, conceal usually does imply intent and often specifically implies a refusal to divulge.

concealed the weapon

Where would screen be a reasonable alternative to hide?

Although the words screen and hide have much in common, screen implies an interposing of something that prevents discovery.

a house screened by trees

When would secrete be a good substitute for hide?

The meanings of secrete and hide largely overlap; however, secrete suggests a depositing in a place unknown to others.

secreted the amulet inside his shirt

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of hide

Verb

If your goal is simply to hide the plastic nursery container, Steinkopf recommends placing it inside a decorative cachepot instead. — Colleen Sullivan, Martha Stewart, 21 July 2026 What was the thinking behind hiding this information up until the finale? — Daniel D'addario, Variety, 15 July 2026

Noun

Concrete roads poured over the grassy hides of once-mighty creatures. — Joseph Trinidad, Longreads, 16 June 2026 But even on the smallest scale—on the hide of a single animal or in the rhythm of a herd—that sense of layered contrasts persists. — Lydia Price, Travel + Leisure, 14 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for hide

Recent Examples of Synonyms for hide

Verb

Missiles and launch vehicles can remain concealed until they are needed, limiting the time during which they are exposed to satellites, aircraft, and drones.

— Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 14 July 2026
Even its bridal jewelry retains an element of discretion, including a small gold heart concealed inside certain bands and positioned close to the wearer.

— Thomas Waller, Footwear News, 14 July 2026

Definition of conceal

Verb

Gros Morne National Park combines relatively dark skies with the deepest eclipse in eastern North America, with nearly half of the sun obscured at maximum.

— Jamie Carter, Space.com, 19 July 2026
Severely nearsighted, Isul wore eyeglasses with thick plastic lenses, which obscured her lovely, small eyes.

— Min Jin Lee, New Yorker, 19 July 2026

Definition of obscure

Verb

The avenue lies within the city’s original historic district, where preservation rules tightly regulate new construction and alterations.

— Andres Viglucci, Miami Herald, 22 July 2026
City see Bouaddi as somebody who will need to improve in attacking areas, but are convinced of his ability as a deep-lying, combative midfielder who is very comfortable on the ball.

— Chris Weatherspoon, New York Times, 21 July 2026

Definition of lie

Verb

Once Turek has finished writhing about on the floor in a shambolic attempt to gather, Czibor is on hand to whip the ball away and tuck it home from six yards, the simplest of tasks.

— Adam Hurrey, New York Times, 17 July 2026
Zeus and Poseidon are at it again—one hurling thunderbolts, the other whipping the sea into a frenzy.

— Gal Beckerman, The Atlantic, 17 July 2026

Definition of whip

Noun

These passages are called portages, a term derived from English and French trappers who, alongside Indigenous nations like the Ojibwe and the Dakota, collected pelts for the lucrative fur trade from the late 17th century to the early 19th.

— John Bowe, Travel + Leisure, 11 June 2026
Maradona, for his part, repeatedly backheeled the ball while sprinting at full pelt, leaving England defenders unsure whether to follow the player or the ball.

— Michael Cox, New York Times, 3 June 2026

Definition of pelt

Noun

Outside, the cops, led by a dry sinister officer in a long black leather coat, order him to get on the ground, face down; Sophia comes out of the house and is placed in the back of a car, staring at all this through the glass.

— Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 16 July 2026
Rather than a custom Chrome Hearts leather suit, this time, te look seemed like a real retro deal.

— Anna Cafolla, Vogue, 15 July 2026

Definition of leather

Verb

Each of the women were buried in matching underground chambers, with the princess Ita followed by Khenmet, Itaweret, and an anonymous woman assumed to be their sister Sathathormeryt.

— Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 17 July 2026
The largest of the debris aprons covers 50 square miles (130 square kilometers), which would be large enough to bury a small city or a large town.

— Keith Cooper, Space.com, 16 July 2026

Definition of bury

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“Hide.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hide. Accessed 23 Jul. 2026.

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Synonyms of hide

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