skeletons in the/someone's closet
idiom
informal
: something bad or embarrassing that happened in someone's past and that is kept secret
He asked if she had any skeletons in her closet that might affect her political campaign.
Examples of skeletons in the/someone's closet in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The great cliché of serial-killer stories is the seemingly harmless neighbor with skeletons in the closet (or garage, or freezer).
—
James Poniewozik, New York Times, 12 June 2023
Scott Moss doesn’t keep his skeletons in the closet.
—BostonGlobe.com, 8 Oct. 2021
Inflation, for all its virtues, has some skeletons in the closet.
—Sean Carroll, Discover Magazine, 21 Oct. 2011
James Poniewozik, New York Times, 12 June 2023
Scott Moss doesn’t keep his skeletons in the closet.
—BostonGlobe.com, 8 Oct. 2021
Inflation, for all its virtues, has some skeletons in the closet.
—Sean Carroll, Discover Magazine, 21 Oct. 2011
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'skeletons in the/someone's closet.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near skeletons in the/someone's closet
skeletons in the/someone's closet
Cite this Entry
“Skeletons in the/someone's closet.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/skeletons%20in%20the%2Fsomeone%27s%20closet. Accessed 2 Dec. 2023.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share