hiding behind
Sheltered by something
Hiding behind means using something as concealment or protection, literally or figuratively.
A child hides behind a door during hide-and-seek.
More often the phrase is figurative: He's hiding behind his lawyers, Stop hiding behind excuses.
The implication is usually that the concealment is evasive or cowardly—someone avoiding responsibility or scrutiny by letting something else take the attention or blame.
- closed doorsSealed entry points
- deflectionChange in trajectory
- scapegoatingUnfairly assigning fault to innocents
- camouflageConcealment through visual blending
- smoke screenDeceptive concealment tactic
repression · blind spot · pretense · curtain · iron curtain · denial · ideology · excuse · justification · manipulation · rationalization · plausible deniability · alibi · barrier · shadow · avoidance · mask · poker face
hiding behindexposing oneself
Deliberate public nudity
out in the open · visible · in plain sight · exposed · on display
hiding behindconfronting
Addressing directly
facing · standing up to · taking on · coming forward · challenging
hiding, behind, hide, hides, hidden, hider, hidey, hideout, hideaway