We often use the term “hidden gem” to describe something that is extremely outstanding and that not many people are knowledgeable about. However, the term “hidden gem” is very commonly used and occasionally, we would prefer an alternative term. Therefore, this article will explore appropriate and usable synonym terms.
What Can I Say Instead Of “Hidden Gem”?
There is an abundance of alternative terms we can use, rather than calling something a “hidden gem”. Although, in this particular article, we will be going over the following terms:
- A Lucky Find
- A Concealed Gem
- An Untapped Treasure
- Few and Far Between
- An Underrated Gem
- A Secret Treasure
- An Unknown Gem
- An Unseen Treasure
- An Underappreciated Find
- An Unrevealed Gem
The preferred version that we will use is “a lucky find”. This is because to say something was “a lucky find”, we are acknowledging that we have just happened upon a place or thing, that we believe has or will have a positive impact on our day, life, etc.
A Lucky Find
When we are expressing that we believe that something we have discovered is “a lucky find”, we are meaning to say that we feel very fortunate to have found it. This is often because “a lucky find” is something that brings us immense happiness.
At the same time, we often say that something is “a lucky find” because it was entirely coincidental that we happened upon it. Therefore, we do think that luck was involved under these circumstances.
Here are a few examples that highlight the use of this phrase:
- That little hole-in-the-wall Vietnamese restaurant has the best pho I’ve ever tasted – what a lucky find!
- A came across the last pair of the limited-edition Nikes and they happened to be my size. I couldn’t get over what a lucky find they were.
- I consider my husband to be the luckiest find I will experience in my lifetime.
A Concealed Gem
When we choose to refer to something as “a concealed gem”, we are meaning to say that this is a place or thing that has been kept very secretive or is hidden from the public eye. With it being a gem, we also find that it is absolutely outstanding.
Because of this, we will often feel very blessed to have discovered this place or thing.
We will now go over the following examples that use this phrase:
- That beach resort was a concealed gem amongst much poorer options. I wish we had discovered it sooner.
- The house was a concealed gem amongst a very busy market and the couple did not notice it until there was already an abundance of offers put in.
- I’m so happy you took me to that new restaurant with you because it’s such a concealed gem, I wouldn’t have found it.
An Untapped Treasure
Another excellent alternative we can use is “an untapped treasure”. When we express that something is “untapped”, we are saying that it has not yet been exploited or used by a multitude of people. Because we consider it a “treasure”, it holds importance or worth to us.
Something can hold importance to us because it brings us excitement or joy, and “an untapped treasure” does just that. We will often attempt to keep this spot or thing secretive.
Some examples that appropriately use this phrase are:
- I consider that old-timey movie theatre to be an untapped treasure for the younger generations.
- McGuinty’s Pub is an untapped treasure that I highly recommend everyone should visit.
- That bed and breakfast was an untapped treasure – I thoroughly enjoyed our stay!
Few and Far Between
We can use the phrase “few and far between” similarly to saying “hidden gem”. When we say that something is “few and far between” we mean to depict that is something incredibly scarce or infrequent. Because of this, we often hold a greater appreciation for these things or places.
At the same time, we can also consider events or circumstances to be “few and far between”, meaning they’re very rare or do not happen often.
Here are a few examples that showcase the use of this phrase:
- Jobs with an adequate pension and benefits are few and far between these days.
- The sunny intervals were supposed to occur throughout the day, but they have been few and far between.
- People who are as kind and devoted as you are, are truly few and far between.
An Underrated Gem
Another great alternative phrase that we can choose to use is “an underrated gem”. When we express that we believe something is “underrated”, we are meaning to say that it is something we don’t believe has been rated, viewed or appreciated enough at the present time.
Consistently, we also generally believe something that is “underrated” holds significant importance.
For example, here are a few sentences that we can look over that use this statement:
- That nail salon is an underrated gem – they did an immaculate job!
- That was a very underrated gem of a movie!
- Shockingly, folks don’t think more highly of him. I think he is an underrated gem of a human being.
A Secret Treasure
Anytime that we refer to something as a “treasure”, we are meant to highlight the significance or importance that it holds to us or others. When we say that something is a “secret”, we are saying that it is not commonly known or seen by others.
Therefore, when we use the phrase “a secret treasure”, we are often describing something that we do not want others to discover or for it to become a popular option, spot, etc.
For additional information, here are a few examples using this phrase:
- That beach is gorgeous and a secret treasure to my family.
- I can’t believe that restaurant has remained a secret treasure all these years.
- My sister holds her diary in the regard of a secret treasure – no one can ever know its contents.
An Unknown Gem
Another superb alternative phrase we can use is “an unknown gem”. When we say that something is “unknown”, we mean to say that it is not familiar or commonly known by other people. Therefore, we often think of “an unknown gem” as something we are fortunate to have discovered.
Considering we value “an unknown gem” very highly, it is often something that we will share or describe to those closest to us.
Here are various examples that utilize this phrase:
- That restaurant is such an unknown gem, but I feel like we should help them out by telling all of our friends and family about it.
- That casino is an unknown gem by many of the area’s largest gamblers.
- His level of kindness is truly an unknown gem amongst humankind. I wish more people had the opportunity to get to meet him.
An Unseen Treasure
When we describe something as being “unseen”, we are meaning to convey that it is something that has not yet been viewed or found by the masses. When we say something is “an unseen treasure”, we are saying that we have viewed it and find it absolutely immaculate.
When we consider something a “treasure” we consider it to be precious. Therefore, some people may choose to share “an unseen treasure”, however, some may keep this information private.
Some examples that showcase the appropriate use of this term are:
- That silent film is an unseen treasure by most folks in my generation.
- That performance was truly an unseen treasure and I feel so fortunate to be one of the very few people who witnessed it.
- The small resort was an unseen treasure by the majority of tourists to the island.
An Underappreciated Find
Whenever we say that something is “underappreciated” we are saying that we feel it has yet to be appreciated or valued enough by the general public. Therefore, when we describe something as “an underappreciated find”, we are claiming that while we discovered it, we feel it deserves greater attention.
Because of this, we will often tell others about this “underappreciated find”.
To further clarify the use of this term, we can look over these examples:
- That bakery is an underappreciated find – they have the best fresh-baked bread I have ever tasted.
- I feel like your friendship is such an underappreciated find in my life and I just want you to know how much I love and value you.
- Those new shoes are such an underappreciated find! I wish they had, had them in my size too.
An Unrevealed Gem
The last alternative we will go over is “an unrevealed gem”. When we say that something is “unrevealed” we mean to say that is it still very much under viewed or secretive. Because of this, “an unrevealed gem” is often something we feel lucky enough to have stumbled upon.
Finally, we will go over our last few examples:
- That taco truck is an unrevealed gem in this city – I’m shocked more people don’t know about it.
- My favourite t-shirt shop is still an unrevealed gem to most people.
- Our highest regarded picnic spot is still thankfully an unrevealed gem to most.
What Does “Hidden Gem” Mean?
When we’re depicting something like a “hidden gem”, we’re meaning to express that is something that we believe to be truly outstanding in quality. At the same time, because we are saying it is “hidden”, we often mean that it has not been discovered by an abundance of people.
Is “Hidden Gem” A Metaphor?
In short, no, a “hidden gem” is not a metaphor. The term “hidden gem” is an idiom. An idiom is a phrase or group of words that are established by usage of having a meaning that is not deducible from those of the individual words.
Another excellent example of an idiom would be “raining cats and dogs” or “it’s a piece of cake”.
Martin holds a Master’s degree in Finance and International Business. He has six years of experience in professional communication with clients, executives, and colleagues. Furthermore, he has teaching experience from Aarhus University. Martin has been featured as an expert in communication and teaching on Forbes and Shopify. Read more about Martin here.
