hideout
Americannoun
noun
verb
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of hideout
First recorded in 1870–75; noun use of verb phrase hide out
Explanation
A hideout is a secret place where someone can take refuge. Criminals or outlaws often lie low in a hideout to avoid being found by the police. A car thief might use his grandmother's apartment as a hideout to avoid detection. A group of ten year-olds might also have a hideout, a place that's protected from parents, bullies, older siblings, and anyone else who might interfere. Before the first use of hideout, in the 1880s, came the verb phrase hide out, or "hide from authorities," which was coined during the Civil War in reference to draft dodgers.
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.
Pakistan's information chief said the strikes hit four targets, including a training camp, an ammunition cache and a hideout linked to two TTP commanders.
From Barron's • Jun. 10, 2026
“In our view, OCBC’s solid balance sheet and sound asset quality metrics offer investors a good defensive hideout while still benefiting from the influx of liquidity and wealth flows into the country,” RHB says.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 27, 2026
After running around the festival for hours, it was nice to be able to take a break from the heat in stylish, exclusive areas like the Red Bull Mirage and Soho House’s hideout.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 15, 2026
During the Civil War it was a Royalist stronghold used as a hideout for supporters during the Siege of Bradford.
From BBC • Apr. 1, 2026
It’s as though we’re in a secret middle-of-the-night hideout, deciphering a top-secret code.
From "The Queen of Water" by Laura Resau
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.
