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
Adding 1/2 cup to your washer drum before loading in dirty laundry will help boost the cleaning properties of your detergent.
—
Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 17 Jan. 2026
This can help keep dirty laundry separate, and even keep you more organized throughout your trip.
—Merrell Readman, Travel + Leisure, 16 Jan. 2026
But his messages about Childress and SRX — a startup series NASCAR viewed as a possible threat — made for a difficult pathway for Phelps to move forward after the trial aired so much dirty laundry.
—Jeff Gluck, New York Times, 6 Jan. 2026
Most of these grudge matches play out in podcast appearances, where comedians air their dirty laundry via stream-of-consciousness rants.
—Hershal Pandya, Vulture, 30 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for dirty laundry
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Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 17 Jan. 2026
This can help keep dirty laundry separate, and even keep you more organized throughout your trip.
—Merrell Readman, Travel + Leisure, 16 Jan. 2026
But his messages about Childress and SRX — a startup series NASCAR viewed as a possible threat — made for a difficult pathway for Phelps to move forward after the trial aired so much dirty laundry.
—Jeff Gluck, New York Times, 6 Jan. 2026
Most of these grudge matches play out in podcast appearances, where comedians air their dirty laundry via stream-of-consciousness rants.
—Hershal Pandya, Vulture, 30 Dec. 2025
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 27 Jan. 2026.
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