making oneself scarce
Quietly slipping away
Making oneself scarce is leaving or staying away, especially to avoid trouble, awkwardness, or unwanted attention.
The phrase suggests deliberate absence—removing yourself from a situation where your presence might cause problems or where you're simply not wanted: When Dad started yelling, I made myself scarce.
It can also mean becoming hard to find: After the scandal broke, the CEO made himself scarce.
- abscondFlee to avoid capture
- do a runnerEscape to avoid obligation
- sneakMove with stealth
- disappearPass from visibility
- disappearing actSudden, unexplained departure
tiptoe · fade away · flee · beat a retreat · ghost · slip away · evade · slink · lie low · lay low · escape · vanish · drop off the radar · retreat · go underground · fly under the radar · conceal · bolt
making oneself scarcesticking around
Continuing to be present
showing up · lingering · making an appearance · hanging around · staying put
making oneself scarcehovering
Suspended without support
sticking around · hanging around · lingering · intruding · staying put
makes, maker, makers, making, remake, remaking, scare, scares, scared