sweep (something) under the rug
idiom
US
: to hide (something that is illegal, embarrassing, or wrong)
He tried to sweep his past mistakes under the rug.
Examples of sweep (something) under the rug in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The series’ narrative examines the things women sweep under the rug, while also exploring issues of class and privilege.
—
Patrick Frater, Variety, 1 Feb. 2024
The new report adds to several bombshell scoops Schmidle has had about the company's safety record, which its executives and PR officials have tried to sweep under the rug to save face among Virgin Galactic's wealthy clientele and would-be space travelers.
—Jackie Wattles, CNN, 2 Sep. 2021
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Patrick Frater, Variety, 1 Feb. 2024
The new report adds to several bombshell scoops Schmidle has had about the company's safety record, which its executives and PR officials have tried to sweep under the rug to save face among Virgin Galactic's wealthy clientele and would-be space travelers.
—Jackie Wattles, CNN, 2 Sep. 2021
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 10 Jul. 2025.
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