taken to the cleaners
Thoroughly ripped off
To be taken to the cleaners is to be cheated or swindled out of a significant amount of money, or to suffer a severe financial loss: His ex-wife took him to the cleaners in the divorce.
The phrase evokes having everything stripped away, as clothes are stripped for cleaning.
It can also mean to be thoroughly defeated: We got taken to the cleaners in the second half.
- fleecedDefrauded of money
- defraudedIllegally deceived for gain
- swindledDeceived for gain
- scammedCheated through deception
- cheatedActed dishonestly to win
bilked · exploited · suckered · played for a fool · bamboozled · hoodwinked · gulled · hustled · ripped off · overcharge · highway robbery · outsmarted · bled dry · trounced · bankruptcy · extortion · wiped out · mugging
taken to the cleanersmade a killing
Earned exceptional profit
struck gold · hit the jackpot · cleaned up · cashed in · laughed all the way to the bank
taken to the cleanersdrove a hard bargain
Negotiated aggressively for advantage
taken, takes, taking, taker, takers, clean, cleans, cleaned, cleaning