come out smelling like a rose
Escape looking good
To come out smelling like a rose is to emerge from a difficult, messy, or potentially damaging situation with one's reputation intact—often enhanced.
The phrase suggests escaping blame or consequences that others might face: The CEO resigned, but somehow the CFO came out smelling like a rose.
Sometimes used skeptically, implying undeserved good fortune or skillful deflection of responsibility.
- unscathedSuffering no injury
- dodge a bulletNarrowly avoid disaster
- vindicatedCleared of accusation
- emergeCome out into view
- surviveContinue to exist
land on your feet · intact · walk away clean · unsullied · weather the storm · exonerated · unblemished · untarnished · spotless · integrity · respectability · resilience · dignity · triumphant · come up roses · trustworthiness · good standing · scandal
come out smelling like a rosecrash and burn
Fail completely and visibly
go down in flames · fall flat on one's face · come a cropper · take a beating · suffer the consequences
coming, outing, outward, outwardly, smells, smelled, smelling, smelly, likeness