smelling like a rose
Reputation completely intact
Smelling like a rose means emerging from a situation with one's reputation intact or enhanced, especially when others suffered consequences: Somehow he came out smelling like a rose while everyone else got blamed.
The phrase often implies undeserved good fortune or skillful deflection of responsibility.
- clean slateRecord wiped clear
- fresh startOpportunity to restart unburdened
- bouncing backRecovering from difficulty
- coming up rosesSucceeding beyond expectations
- rising aboveExceeding or transcending something
squeaky clean · fragrant · untarnished · off the hook · weathering the storm · perfumed · unscathed · blameless · above suspicion · turning the tables · good as new · blooming · pure as snow · aromatic · exonerated · lush · vindicated · verdant
smelling like a rosecaught red-handed
Apprehended during wrongdoing
guilty as sin · tarnished · implicated · disgraced · tarred and feathered
smelling like a roseleft high and dry
worse off · worse for wear · coming up short · dragged through the mud · in the doghouse
smell, smells, smelled, smelling, smelly, smellier, smelliest, smelliness, rosier