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Prepositions after verbs

Conceal from or conceal in?

Conceal is commonly followed by from to name the person kept unaware of something. In can appear after conceal when it introduces a place where something is hidden.

Quick answer

Which preposition is correct after conceal?

Use conceal from someone when you mean keeping something secret from a person or group. Conceal in usually refers to the place where something is hidden, not a fixed verb-preposition combination.

She tried to conceal the truth from her parents.
The documents were concealed in a locked drawer.
He could not conceal his disappointment from the team.

Choose the pattern by meaning

These forms are not interchangeable. Choose the construction by meaning, not by which preposition appears most often.

1
conceal something from + person

Keeping information or objects secret from someone

Use from to identify the person who does not know about the hidden thing.

They tried to conceal the plan from investors.
She could not conceal her anger from her colleagues.
2
conceal something in + place

Showing where something is hidden

Use in when naming the container, space, or location where something is physically hidden.

The jewels were concealed in a wooden box.
He concealed the key in his jacket pocket.
3
conceal yourself from + person

Avoiding being seen by someone

Use from when a person avoids detection or visibility.

The soldiers concealed themselves from enemy patrols.
She hid behind the curtain to conceal herself from the audience.

See the difference in context

The same subject can take different constructions because each sentence answers a different question.

Construction
Example
Meaning
conceal from
They concealed the decision from the staff.
Standard pattern meaning to keep something secret from someone.
conceal in
The money was concealed in a suitcase.
In introduces the place where something is hidden, not the person kept unaware.
conceal behind
He concealed the crack behind a painting.
Behind names a position used to hide something physically.
conceal under
The letter was concealed under the mattress.
Under introduces a surface or covering used for hiding.

Common mistakes

Some combinations appear in real text but do not mean what learners often assume.

Using in instead of from for people

Use from when naming the person who is kept unaware.

✕ She concealed the news in her brother. ✓ She concealed the news from her brother.

Confusing location with secrecy

In describes a hiding place, not the person affected.

✕ They concealed the documents in the police. ✓ They concealed the documents from the police.

Leaving out the object

Conceal usually needs an object stating what is hidden.

✕ He concealed from his family. ✓ He concealed the problem from his family.

Quick practice

Choose the expression that matches the intended meaning.

1. She tried to conceal the surprise ___ her children.
2. The passport was concealed ___ a travel bag.
3. The spy concealed himself ___ the guards.

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Frequently asked questions

Is conceal from a standard English combination?

Yes. Conceal from is the normal pattern when you mention the person who is kept unaware of something.

Can conceal in be correct?

Yes. Conceal in is correct when in introduces the location or container where something is hidden.

What is the difference between hide and conceal?

Both can mean keeping something out of sight, but conceal is often more formal and can also mean keeping information secret.

calculate, by, calculate, in, calculate, from "call for" or "call on"? "campaign for" or "campaign against"? cancel by, due, at, in or for? capitulate to, in, like, by or after? captivate by, for, with, from or in? "capture by" or "capture in"? "care about" or "care for"? carry with, by, in, to or into? carve into, out, in, on or with? cast in, into, for, by or on? "catch in", "catch by" or "catch on"?

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