skeleton in the closet

Cultural  

1. A potentially embarrassing secret: “Before nominating the new judge, the committee asked him if he had any skeletons in the closet.”

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skeleton in the closet Idioms  

1. A shameful secret, as in Both her parents were alcoholics; that was the skeleton in her closet. This metaphoric term alludes to a murder victim long concealed in a closet, possibly based on some true incident that is now forgotten. [Early 1800s]

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Example Sentences

As much as he tried to find that one skeleton in the closet to explain it all, he couldn’t.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 31, 2024

“There’s some kind of big, big skeleton in the closet here.”

From New York Times • Sep. 20, 2021

It will relieve your worry for him to know it, otherwise you will live with him always in fear of the skeleton in the closet.

From Slate • May 16, 2021

They face significant financial burdens, but they also face being stigmatized from colleagues who wonder what skeleton in the closet they are running from.

From Washington Times • Jun. 9, 2014

Few indeed are the families which have not "a skeleton in the closet."

From Practical Religion Being Plain Papers on the Daily Duties, Experience, Dangers, and Privileges of Professing Christians by Ryle, John Charles