skeleton in the closet

Register · Neutral Neutral — appropriate in most situations, both spoken and written, without sounding too casual or too stiff. CEFR B2

Post

Example

“Every family has a skeleton in the closet.”

Dictionary details

Tags

Expressions connected by reviewed component words or topic tags.

let the cat out of the bag Informal · CEFR B1

To reveal a secret, usually by mistake.

pull someone's leg Informal · CEFR B1

To tease or joke with someone by telling them something untrue in fun.

spill the beans Informal · CEFR B1

To reveal a secret, often accidentally.

behind closed doors Neutral · CEFR B2

in private, away from public observation

behind the scenes Neutral · CEFR B2

happening privately or secretly, not in public view

come clean Informal · CEFR B2

to confess the truth about something previously hidden or denied

Source methodology

Meanings, register, CEFR, and examples come from the reviewed dictionary record. Expression notes may describe a reviewed present-day word picture or a background note; they are not presented as verified etymology.

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