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.
The indifference to keeping America’s dirty laundry buried in the basket has been one of the rare constants in Trumpism, as has been a see-no-evil ethos by the President in response to forehead-slapping details that have stunned national security hawks of every background. Philip Elliott, Time, 26 Mar. 2025 Instead of tossing dirty laundry in a corner of a bedroom, store it neatly in a wicker hamper that’s perfectly designed to fit in any 90-degree angle. Audrey Lee, Architectural Digest, 4 Mar. 2025 This scrap of dirty laundry has been aired before, although not in such detail. Daniel De Visé, USA TODAY, 15 Jan. 2025 Shoes and dirty laundry can quickly cause your closet to smell, so consider storing these elsewhere. Katelyn Squiers, Better Homes & Gardens, 24 Mar. 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

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Cite this Entry

“Dirty laundry.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dirty%20laundry. Accessed 22 Apr. 2025.

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