be unnoticed
[bi ʌnˈnoʊtɪst]
verb phrase
passar despercebido
1. to not be observed, seen, or detected by others; to escape attention
He tried to be unnoticed as he left the room early.
Ele tentou passar despercebido quando saiu da sala mais cedo.
2. to remain hidden or inconspicuous; to go unobserved
The small mistake went unnoticed by the teacher.
O pequeno erro passou despercebido pela professora.
3. to avoid drawing attention to oneself
She wanted to be unnoticed at the party, so she sat in the corner.
Ela queria passar despercebida na festa, então se sentou no canto.
This phrase is commonly used in both American and Brazilian contexts to describe someone who wants to avoid attention or detection. In Brazil, it's often used in social situations where someone wants to avoid confrontation or embarrassment. In the US, it's frequently used in workplace or academic settings. The concept reflects universal human behavior of wanting invisibility in uncomfortable situations.
NYC Slang
fly under the radar
Look up more words on Fala2Me
The free English-Portuguese dictionary with real Brazilian accents, NYC slang, conjugator and more
Open Fala2Me →