# hatched

/ˈhætʃt/ (US) · /hˈætʃt/ (UK) · CEFR B2 · Adjective

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/hatched
Updated: 2026-05-07

## Definition

describing a plan or idea that someone has created in secret. It often implies that the plan is clever or perhaps a bit dishonest.

For teachers: describing a scheme, plot, or idea that has been formulated or devised, typically in secrecy. Often used as a participial adjective following a linking verb or as part of a passive construction.

## Examples

- The secret plan was hatched in a dark room.
- The detectives discovered that the bank robbery had been hatched months ago by a group of former employees.
- While the public believed the merger was a sudden development, the details had actually been hatched during a series of clandestine meetings held throughout the previous winter.

## Usage notes

- Often appears in the passive voice or as a past participle modifying a noun like 'plan', 'plot', or 'scheme'.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.