needle-in-a-haystack
Hopelessly obscured target
A needle-in-a-haystack is something nearly impossible to find because it's hidden among countless similar or obscuring things.
Usually appears as a modifier: a needle-in-a-haystack search, needle-in-a-haystack odds.
The image is literal—a small metal object lost in a pile of dry grass would be almost impossible to locate.
Reveal what's hidden
- revealMake something visible
- findLocate through effort
- discoverFind something unknown
- locateDiscover the position of
pinpoint · identify · breakthrough · eureka · aha · serendipity · luck · persistence
Pursuit of quarry
- sleuthPrivate investigator
- detectiveProfessional crime investigator
- investigationFormal examination of facts
- forensicsScientific crime-scene analysis
sift · scrutiny · probe · inquiry · quest · pursuit · examine · inspect
Kept out of sight
- obscureUnknown to most
- camouflagedVisually hidden by coloring
- inconspicuousNot readily noticed
- veiledConcealed or obscured
shrouded · cryptic · imperceptible · unnoticeable · unseen · covert · buried · concealed
Discouraging through difficulty
- overwhelmingIntensely excessive in force
- tediousBoring through length
- painstakingExtremely careful and thorough
- laboriousRequiring considerable effort
meticulous · exhaustive · systematic · methodical · time-consuming · frustrating · hopeless · impossible
uncover
Reveal what's hidden
locate · pinpoint · identify · breakthrough · eureka · aha · serendipity · luck · persistence · patience
hunt
Pursuit of quarry
- sleuthPrivate investigator
- detectiveProfessional crime investigator
- investigationFormal examination of facts
forensics · sift · scrutiny · probe · inquiry · quest · pursuit · examine · inspect · analyze
hidden
Kept out of sight
- obscureUnknown to most
- camouflagedVisually hidden by coloring
- inconspicuousNot readily noticed
veiled · shrouded · cryptic · imperceptible · unnoticeable · unseen · covert · buried · concealed · minuscule
daunting
Discouraging through difficulty
- overwhelmingIntensely excessive in force
- tediousBoring through length
- painstakingExtremely careful and thorough
laborious · meticulous · exhaustive · systematic · methodical · time-consuming · frustrating · hopeless · impossible · futile
scarce
In short supply
- uncommonSeldom occurring or found
- uniqueOnly one exists
- infrequentHappening only occasionally
precious · exceptional · singular · anomalous · sparse · unusual · outlier · oddity · fluke · improbable
needle-in-a-haystackin plain sight
Completely visible, unhidden
obvious · easy to find · unmissable · hard to miss · low-hanging fruit
needle-in-a-haystackelephant in the room
Obvious ignored problem
sticks out like a sore thumb · hard to miss · unmistakable · glaring · blatant
needle-in-a-haystackdime a dozen
Abundant and unremarkable
like shooting fish in a barrel · a dime a dozen · plentiful · ubiquitous · abundant
needle, stack, needles, needled, needling, needlework, needlepoint, stacks, stacked