Definition

1. Noun:
   • Personal matters that could be embarrassing if made public: This phrase refers to private, often shameful or scandalous, information about a person, family, or organization that they wish to keep secret. It metaphorically compares such secrets to soiled clothes that are not meant to be seen by others.

Usage

• The phrase is almost always used with the definite article "the" (e.g., or ).
• It is typically used in contexts involving gossip, scandal, public exposure, or family/private conflicts.
• It functions as a singular noun phrase, though "laundry" itself is an uncountable noun in this idiom.

Examples

• Noun:
  • The celebrity's memoir revealed all the family's dirty laundry.
  • We shouldn't air our dirty laundry in public. (Meaning: We shouldn't discuss our private problems openly.)
  • The political scandal exposed a lot of the party's dirty laundry.

Advanced Usage

• "to air (one's) dirty laundry (in public)": To make private, embarrassing matters public.
  • Their public argument was just airing their dirty laundry for everyone to see.
• "to wash (one's) dirty laundry (in public)": A less common but synonymous variant with the same meaning.
  • The court case forced them to wash all their dirty laundry in public.

Variants and Related Words

• Skeleton in the closet/cupboard (idiom, noun): A shameful or embarrassing secret from one's past.
  • Every family has a few skeletons in the closet.
• Dirty linen (noun phrase): A less common, synonymous variant of "dirty laundry."
  • The newspaper article was full of the company's dirty linen.

Synonyms

• Secrets: Information that is kept hidden.
• Scandals: Actions or events that are considered morally or legally wrong and cause public outrage.
• Skeletons: As in the idiom "skeletons in the closet."

Related Phrases

• "To hang out the dirty laundry": Similar to "air," meaning to expose secrets publicly.
  • The investigative journalist hung out the corporation's dirty laundry for all to see.

Related Idioms

• "Don't air your dirty laundry in public": A common piece of advice warning against discussing private, embarrassing problems openly.
  • When they started arguing at the party, I just thought, "Don't air your dirty laundry in public."

Noun

1. personal matters that could be embarrassing if made public