Hidden in plain sight

Meaning

Something that defies apprehension by being too obvious.

Examples

After robbing the jewellers the thief just stood in the crowd and watched the police search all the local alleys. I guess hiding in plain sight worked for him.

Where did it originate?

USA, 19th century.

Where is it used?

Worldwide.

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About the Author

Gary Martin

Writer and researcher on the origins of phrases and the creator of the Phrase Finder website. Over the past 26 years more than 700 million of his pages have been downloaded by readers. He is one of the most popular and trusted sources of information on phrases and idioms.

Hidden in plain sight