1 B1 neutral
To stay in a secret or concealed location to avoid being found by people seeking you.
"The fugitives hid out in an abandoned warehouse for three days before the police caught them."
inseparable
hide out
B1 neutral inseparable intransitive
To stay in a secret or hidden place in order to avoid being found, usually by people in authority or by enemies.
In plain English
To stay somewhere secret so that people who are looking for you cannot find you.
What does "hide out" mean?
2 meanings, ordered from most common to least. Color-coded by CEFR level.
2 B1 informal
To stay somewhere secluded to avoid people or unwanted attention, not necessarily for criminal reasons.
"After the embarrassing interview went viral, the politician hid out at his country estate."
inseparable
Literal vs figurative
Words literally mean
To hide somewhere outside or away from one's usual location.
Actually means
To stay somewhere secret so that people who are looking for you cannot find you.
Usage tip
Common in crime, thriller, and action contexts. Can be used for people avoiding the law, enemies, or unwanted attention. As a noun, 'hideout' is the place where someone hides. Common in both British and American English.
Words that pair with "hide out"
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
police enemy authorities cave basement mountain fugitive
How to conjugate "hide out"
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Base
hide out
I/you/we/they
3rd person
hides out
he/she/it
Past simple
hid out
yesterday
Past participle
hidden out
have + pp
-ing form
hiding out
continuous
Hear "hide out" in the wild
Listen to native speakers using "hide out" in real YouTube videos — click a clip to watch it on Looplines.
Keep exploring
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