sweep (something) under the rug

idiom

US
: to hide (something that is illegal, embarrassing, or wrong)
He tried to sweep his past mistakes under the rug.

Examples of sweep (something) under the rug in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
These examples are automatically compiled from online sources to illustrate current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
The series’ narrative examines the things women sweep under the rug, while also exploring issues of class and privilege. Patrick Frater, Variety, 1 Feb. 2024 The new report adds to several bombshell scoops Schmidle has had about the company's safety record, which its executives and PR officials have tried to sweep under the rug to save face among Virgin Galactic's wealthy clientele and would-be space travelers. Jackie Wattles, CNN, 2 Sep. 2021

Dictionary Entries Near sweep (something) under the rug

Cite this Entry

“Sweep (something) under the rug.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sweep%20%28something%29%20under%20the%20rug. Accessed 14 Nov. 2024.

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!