dirty laundry

noun

: private matters whose public exposure brings distress and embarrassment

called also dirty linen

Examples of dirty laundry in a Sentence

The company is trying to keep its dirty laundry from being aired in public.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Mathis rode out of jail aboard a truck, which contained inmates’ dirty laundry. Kori Rumore, Chicago Tribune, 11 Feb. 2025 To know that they’ll be exploited by a loved one and have their dirty laundry aired posthumously? Marc Griffin, VIBE.com, 8 Jan. 2025 This packing cube set has a bag for everything including a dedicated dirty laundry bag and a shoe bag. Kelsey Glennon, Travel + Leisure, 30 Nov. 2024 The news took journalists, legal experts, and well, the world by surprise—most expected the trial to drag out for around two month, potentially airing more dirty laundry about the royal family in the process. Elise Taylor, Vogue, 22 Jan. 2025 See all Example Sentences for dirty laundry 

Word History

First Known Use

1967, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of dirty laundry was in 1967

Dictionary Entries Near dirty laundry

Cite this Entry

“Dirty laundry.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dirty%20laundry. Accessed 20 Feb. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on dirty laundry

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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