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

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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

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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

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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

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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

Russia has broadly defied economic expectations through four-and-a-half years of full-scale war with Ukraine, although analysts have suggested that cracks in Putin’s wartime economy are becoming harder to hide. — Sam Meredith, CNBC, 25 Aug. 2026 The escapee was found Tuesday night in a marsh area, cold and wet after hiding in the water for five hours, and taken into custody without incident, state police said. — Sara Tenenbaum, CBS News, 25 Aug. 2026

Noun

On the southern end of the loop, check out the interactive Bison Center to feel hides, hear the creatures’ varied grunts and bleats, and learn about the park’s efforts to sustainably maintain the herd. — Jess Hoffert, Midwest Living, 5 Aug. 2026 Meanwhile, remaining hides, skulls, and hoofs could be made into glue. — Matthew Wills, JSTOR Daily, 20 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for hide

Recent Examples of Synonyms for hide

Verb

Torres was then seen on camera concealing the money inside his black jacket before entering an employee restroom, according to the report.

— Ana Maria Soler, Miami Herald, 26 Aug. 2026
In practical terms, someone deliberately trying to conceal Claude's involvement could simply rewrite the output substantially.

— New Atlas, New Atlas, 25 Aug. 2026

Definition of conceal

Verb

Forward vision is excellent because there’s no roof, A-pillars, or much of anything obscuring your view (the only model above the Signature Edition, called the Grand Touring, does include a roof of sorts).

— William Roberson, Forbes.com, 29 Aug. 2026
The glass is reeded and translucent, obscuring the line cooks behind it.

— Alexis Benveniste, Architectural Digest, 27 Aug. 2026

Definition of obscure

Verb

Parenthood and Social Behavior Ravens and crows lay a similar number of eggs—usually four to six at once—and the young leave the nest at roughly the same age.

— Blythe Copeland, Martha Stewart, 31 Aug. 2026
The shoulder season lies between a destination's peak and offseason for tourism.

— Greg Iacurci, CNBC, 31 Aug. 2026

Definition of lie

Verb

That glib self-confidence is present in McNamara, who licks the doughnut glaze off his fingers before offering his hand to the female detective questioning the one living Jason.

— Scott Tobias, Vulture, 28 Aug. 2026
One act featured two young women sitting on the stage and licking orange Popsicles (yes, that was the whole act).

— Mike Barnes, HollywoodReporter, 26 Aug. 2026

Definition of lick

Verb

Ella Langley continues to whip fans into a frenzy on social media.

— David Hookstead OutKick, FOXNews.com, 25 Aug. 2026
Deploying everything from pickled green strawberries and fresh peas to whipped labneh with Banyul vinegar glaze, artful Viennoiserie evokes more than a little whimsy that spans sweet and savory.

— The Bon Appétit Staff, Bon Appetit Magazine, 24 Aug. 2026

Definition of whip

Noun

Despite the early date, the pelts were thick and lush with guard hairs reaching 11 inches.

— Ron Spomer, Outdoor Life, 19 Aug. 2026
River otters were hunted by the thousands for their pelts in the 17th and 18th centuries, according to the Sacramento Zoo’s page about the animal.

— Fedor Zarkhin, Los Angeles Times, 15 Aug. 2026

Definition of pelt

Noun

The pair, who matched in black leather jackets and jeans, departed the building hand-in-hand and showed off their decorative handcuffs while sharing a steamy kiss.

— Ashlyn Robinette, PEOPLE, 26 Aug. 2026
The intricate leather cutouts appear across the strap across the toes and on the straps that wrap around the back of the foot.

— Karla Rodriguez, Footwear News, 26 Aug. 2026

Definition of leather

Verb

Back in 2015, Parton and her team buried a chestnut box filled with physical copies of a brand new song in two formats, cassette and CD, along with their corresponding players, under her Dollywood DreamMore Resort and Spa.

— Isabelle Farina, Variety, 27 Aug. 2026
Prior research had shown that cotton strips could also be used to assess decomposition, so why not engage in a bit of citizen science and ask volunteers to bury cotton underpants for a couple of months, then dig them up and record the results?

— Jennifer Ouellette, ArsTechnica, 27 Aug. 2026

Definition of bury

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“Hide.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hide. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of hide

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