snake in the grass
Treacherous false friend
A snake in the grass is a person who pretends to be trustworthy or friendly but is secretly treacherous or deceitful.
The image is of a hidden danger—a venomous snake concealed in vegetation where you might step.
I thought he was my ally, but he turned out to be a snake in the grass.
The phrase emphasizes both the danger and the concealment: the betrayal comes from someone you didn't suspect.
Disloyal pretend ally
- traitorOne who betrays allegiance
- turncoatOne who betrays allegiance
- double-crosserOne who deceives confederates
- JudasArchetypal betrayer name
deceiver · betrayer · sellout · informer · rat · fink · quisling · fifth columnist
Deliberate misleading of others
- duplicityDeliberate misleading behavior
- two-facedInsincere and deceptive
- cunningSly, scheming cleverness
- guileSly, strategic dishonesty
scheming · conniving · underhanded · dishonesty · fraudulent · sham · pretense · insincerity
Kept out of sight
- lurkingConcealed and watchful
- covertIntentionally concealed
- furtiveSecretive and sly
- secretiveInclined to conceal
sly · sneaky · camouflaged · veiled · clandestine · unseen · lying in wait · concealed
Injected animal poison
- threatIndication of potential harm
- menaceSource of potential harm
- hazardSource of potential harm
- perilSerious threat of harm
risk · viper · hostile · malice · predatory · venomous · poisonous · fangs
Surprise strike from concealment
- unexpectedNot anticipated beforehand
- shockViolent sudden disturbance
- caught off guardSurprised when unprepared
- revelationSurprising disclosed truth
bolt from the blue · unmasked · exposed · discovered · rude awakening · eye-opener
backstabber
Disloyal pretend ally
- traitorOne who betrays allegiance
- turncoatOne who betrays allegiance
- double-crosserOne who deceives confederates
Judas · deceiver · betrayer · sellout · informer · rat · fink · quisling · fifth columnist · defector
deceit
Deliberate misleading of others
- duplicityDeliberate misleading behavior
- two-facedInsincere and deceptive
- cunningSly, scheming cleverness
guile · scheming · conniving · underhanded · dishonesty · fraudulent · sham · pretense · insincerity · dissembling
hidden
Kept out of sight
secretive · sly · sneaky · camouflaged · veiled · clandestine · unseen · lying in wait · concealed · undetected
venom
Injected animal poison
peril · risk · viper · hostile · malice · predatory · venomous · poisonous · fangs · striking
ambush
Surprise strike from concealment
- unexpectedNot anticipated beforehand
- shockViolent sudden disturbance
- caught off guardSurprised when unprepared
revelation · bolt from the blue · unmasked · exposed · discovered · rude awakening · eye-opener
- Animal Idiomsblind as a bat, brave as a lion, busy bee, copycat, dark horse
- betrayalbackstab, betray, betrayal, traitor, backstabber
- chase gamestag, freeze tag, hide and seek, capture the flag, cops and robbers
- deceiversliar, liars, deceiver, fraud, fake
- Untrustworthy Thingsbroken promise, fair-weather friend, wolf in sheep's clothing, two-faced, false prophet
- deceptionlie, lies, lying, fake, fraud
snake in the grasstrue friend
Genuinely loyal companion
faithful companion · loyal friend · straight shooter · faithful friend · rock
snake in the grassguardian angel
Protective spirit assigned individually
protector · defender · ally · champion · benefactor
snake in the grassopen book
One easily understood
what you see is what you get · straight arrow · genuine article · salt of the earth
snake, grass, snakes, snaked, snakebite, snakebites, snakey, grasslike, snakebit