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fly under the radar

to avoid attention

In Headline Expressions

In more detail

(idiom) to avoid being noticed or detected by people in authority or people who might stop you from doing something

Examples

• The small startup managed to fly under the radar for years before the larger companies noticed it.

How to use fly under the radar

This idiom refers to evading detection or oversight, often implying the avoidance is deliberate or fortunate. It's commonly used in both negative contexts (doing something illicit) and neutral contexts (quietly succeeding without drawing unwanted attention). The tone is informal and often carries a sense of sneaking past authorities or avoiding scrutiny.

Register: informal

Common phrases

• fly under the radar
• manage to fly under the radar
• fly completely under the radar
• help someone fly under the radar
• fly under the radar for years

Synonyms

escape notice · go undetected · stay under the radar · slip through the cracks · avoid detection

Opposites

stand out · attract attention · come under scrutiny

A common mistake

Learners sometimes use this as a literal phrase without understanding it's an idiom—it refers to avoiding notice, not actual radar.

Nearby in Headline Expressions

a war of words, ruffle feathers, the jury is still out, blindsided, a vote of no confidence, all bets are off

Keep going

How to remember the words you read · Spaced repetition, explained