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.
My sister was bringing her dirty laundry with her to wash at my house in order to save on her water and electric bill. Abigail Van Buren, Boston Herald, 19 Oct. 2025 My sister was bringing her dirty laundry with her to wash at my house in order to save on her water and electric bill. Jeanne Phillips, Mercury News, 18 Oct. 2025 Antisemitism, misogyny, anti-LGBTQ rhetoric and his constant airing of family dirty laundry have plagued the Grammy winner for nearly a decade, in parallel with his flirtations with MAGA and Christian salvation. Matt Donnelly, Variety, 22 Sep. 2025 Dating from around May 26, 1593, this is a dirty laundry list of allegations, either written or dictated by Baines. Anthony Lane, New Yorker, 8 Sep. 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

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Dirty laundry.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dirty%20laundry. Accessed 27 Oct. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on dirty laundry

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

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