airing one's dirty laundry in public
Broadcasting private scandals
Airing one's dirty laundry in public means revealing private matters—especially embarrassing, shameful, or unflattering ones—to people outside one's immediate circle.
The metaphor likens personal secrets to soiled clothing that should be washed discreetly at home rather than hung outside for neighbors to see.
The phrase typically carries disapproval, suggesting that such revelations are inappropriate or self-destructive.
After the divorce, she aired their dirty laundry in public with a tell-all interview.
- oversharingRevealing too much personally
- too much informationUnwanted personal disclosure
- spilling teaSharing gossip or secrets
- gossipInformal talk spreading rumors
- kiss and tellSharing intimate secrets publicly
taboos · family secrets · shame · reputation · tactlessness · transparency · privacy · honor culture · tell-all · betrayal · confession · open book · judgment · broadcasting · social media rant · family dynamics · defensiveness · trust
airing one's dirty laundry in publicdiscretion
Careful judgment in speech
keeping one's own counsel · keeping mum · keeping secrets · suffering in silence · tight-lipped
airing one's dirty laundry in publickeeping mum
Staying deliberately silent
keeping one's own counsel · covering up · suffering in silence · stonewalling · clamming up
airiness, dirtiness, laundry, launder, laundered, laundering, launderer, laundress, public