needle in a haystack
Hopelessly concealed object
A needle in a haystack is something extremely difficult or nearly impossible to find because it's hidden among countless similar or obscuring things: Finding one person in a city of eight million is like looking for a needle in a haystack.
The phrase emphasizes futility—the needle exists but practical discovery is hopeless.
Incapable of occurring
- hopelessBeyond possibility of success
- futileIncapable of producing results
- SisypheanEndlessly, pointlessly laborious
- quixoticImpractically pursuing lofty goals
insurmountable · unattainable · fruitless · vain · wild goose chase · fool's errand · lost cause · uphill battle
Kept out of sight
- obscuredMade hard to perceive
- concealedMade invisible deliberately
- camouflagedVisually hidden by coloring
- buriedPlaced beneath earth
lost · undetectable · inconspicuous · invisible · veiled · disguised · elusive · overlooked
Pursuit of quarry
- questSeeking journey for something
- siftingSeparating by particle size
- scouringVigorous abrasive cleaning
- combingArranging strands with teeth
rummaging · trawling · detective work · sleuthing · investigation · scrutiny · retrieval · tracking
Extremely careful and thorough
- tediousBoring through length
- exhaustingDepleting one's stamina
- gruelingExtremely tiring and demanding
- laboriousRequiring considerable effort
meticulous · time-consuming · arduous · demanding · exacting · patience · perseverance · persistence
Intensely excessive in force
- immenseExtremely large in scope
- vastExtremely great in size
- endlessWithout termination or boundary
- infiniteHaving no bounds
boundless · sprawling · labyrinthine · oceanic · mountainous · countless · innumerable · teeming
impossible
Incapable of occurring
- hopelessBeyond possibility of success
- futileIncapable of producing results
- SisypheanEndlessly, pointlessly laborious
quixotic · insurmountable · unattainable · fruitless · vain · wild goose chase · fool's errand · lost cause · uphill battle · long shot
hidden
Kept out of sight
- obscuredMade hard to perceive
- concealedMade invisible deliberately
- camouflagedVisually hidden by coloring
buried · lost · undetectable · inconspicuous · invisible · veiled · disguised · elusive · overlooked · minuscule
hunt
Pursuit of quarry
- questSeeking journey for something
- siftingSeparating by particle size
- scouringVigorous abrasive cleaning
combing · rummaging · trawling · detective work · sleuthing · investigation · scrutiny · retrieval · tracking · foraging
painstaking
Extremely careful and thorough
- tediousBoring through length
- exhaustingDepleting one's stamina
- gruelingExtremely tiring and demanding
laborious · meticulous · time-consuming · arduous · demanding · exacting · patience · perseverance · persistence · methodical
overwhelming
Intensely excessive in force
infinite · boundless · sprawling · labyrinthine · oceanic · mountainous · countless · innumerable · teeming · cluttered
- clichescliche, platitude, bromide, tired phrase, worn phrase
- farm idiomsmake hay while the sun shines, cream of the crop, put the cart before the horse, till the cows come home, buy the farm
- idiomstime flies, hit the sack, seize the day, ring a bell, break a leg
- Insignificant thingstrivial, minor, small, tiny, negligible
needle in a haystackobvious
Easily perceived, unmistakable
in plain sight · plain as day · clear as day · unmissable · low-hanging fruit
needle in a haystackdime a dozen
Abundant and unremarkable
a dime a dozen · commonplace · ubiquitous · thick on the ground · ten a penny
needle in a haystackin plain sight
Completely visible, unhidden
obvious · plain as day · clear as day · in broad daylight · front and center
needle, needles, haystack, needlework, needling, needlelike, needleworker