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Synonyms

hidden

American  
[hid-n] / ˈhɪd n /

adjective

  1. concealed; obscure; covert.

    hidden meaning; hidden hostility.
    Synonyms:
    occult, veiled, secret

verb

  1. past participle of hide.

hidden British  
/ ˈhɪdən /

verb

  1. a past participle of hide 1

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

adjective

  1. concealed or obscured

    a hidden cave

    a hidden meaning
"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

  • half-hidden adjective
  • hiddenly adverb
  • hiddenness noun
  • unhidden adjective
  • well-hidden adjective

Etymology

Origin of hidden

First recorded in 1540–50, for the adjective

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Unemployment rates have remained relatively steady in the United States -- but the figure has hidden churn under the surface, analysts warn, as weak jobs growth has been matched by a drop in labor supply.

From Barron's • Apr. 3, 2026

A24 and Borgli surely knew this secret couldn’t stay hidden forever, and that’s ultimately a good thing.

From Salon • Apr. 3, 2026

"We didn't expect skull parts and so many more bones. There was a fair amount of excitement when we saw what was hidden inside the block."

From Science Daily • Apr. 1, 2026

The heady early years at Apple, wartime endurance in Britain, Motown’s hidden genius and more of the month’s best nonfiction.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 31, 2026

After she had to go for dinner, I powered through homework, then checked my Scrollr dashboard and messages to search for hidden gems.

From "Bye Forever, I Guess" by Jodi Meadows

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.