sweep (something) under the rug
phrase
US
: to hide (something that is illegal, embarrassing, or wrong)
He tried to sweep his past mistakes under the rug.
Cite this Entry
“Sweep (something) under the rug.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sweep%20%28something%29%20under%20the%20rug. Accessed 12 Mar. 2026.
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Merriam-Webster unabridged
