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
But within months, Eminem once again filed for divorce — at which point dirty laundry got aired through various media intermediaries.
—
Declan Gallagher, Entertainment Weekly, 8 June 2026
Democrats gave the Bidens some grace, standing with them as their surviving children had their dirty laundry stolen and published online.
—David Weigel, semafor.com, 3 June 2026
The losses are piling up like dirty laundry.
—Cody Stavenhagen, New York Times, 2 June 2026
Modern Perspectives on Laundry Sorting With the growing popularity of large-capacity front-loading washers in the late 1990s, consumers welcomed the possibility of washing all of the dirty laundry in the hamper at the same time.
—Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 15 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for dirty laundry
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Declan Gallagher, Entertainment Weekly, 8 June 2026
Democrats gave the Bidens some grace, standing with them as their surviving children had their dirty laundry stolen and published online.
—David Weigel, semafor.com, 3 June 2026
The losses are piling up like dirty laundry.
—Cody Stavenhagen, New York Times, 2 June 2026
Modern Perspectives on Laundry Sorting With the growing popularity of large-capacity front-loading washers in the late 1990s, consumers welcomed the possibility of washing all of the dirty laundry in the hamper at the same time.
—Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 15 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for dirty laundry
Cite this Entry
“Dirty laundry.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dirty%20laundry. Accessed 18 Jun. 2026.
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