showed one's true colors
Dropped the mask
To show one's true colors is to reveal one's real character, especially when it differs from how one previously appeared.
The phrase often implies the revealed nature is worse than expected: He seemed charming at first, but showed his true colors when things got difficult.
From the naval practice of flying false flags before battle, then raising true colors to engage.
- unmaskedHad covering removed
- pretendedActed falsely
- exposedOut in open
- revealedMade visible or known
- true natureAuthentic character underneath
concealed · betrayal · authentic · sincere · honest · came clean · bare all · moment of truth · disguised · transparent · hypocrisy · disclosed · demonstrated · camouflaged · confessed · vulnerability · manifested · genuine
showed one's true colorsput on an act
showed one's true colorsput on a front
kept one's cool · blended in · put on airs · played along · toed the line
showed, shown, shows, showing, showily, showiness, oneness, truths, truthfulness