Hide behind
verb
To use someone or something as a protection against criticism or punishment.
He often hides behind his sense of humor to avoid discussing serious subjects.
Often appears as...
- hide behind excuses
- hide behind someone
Definition 1 of 3
Pro Tip 1/3Criticism Avoidance
Used when someone doesn't want to be criticized and uses something else to divert attention.
Whenever work performance comes up, Laura tries to hide behind her team's achievements.
Pro Tip 2/3Subtle Deflection
Subtly directing accountability away from oneself to something or someone else.
He'll hide behind company policies whenever there's an unpopular decision to announce.
Pro Tip 3/3Passive Technique
It's often a passive way of handling situations rather than being upfront.
As a boss, she tends to hide behind emails to avoid confronting employees directly.
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