up to Idioms

Skeleton in the closet

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Generated image of a skeleton in a closet
A skeleton in the closet means a secret from someone's past that they try to hide because it would embarrass them or cause trouble if others found out.

This idiom comes from the image of a hidden skeleton locked away in a closet. It suggests a dark or shameful secret that someone does not want anyone else to discover.

Every family seems to have a skeleton in the closet they prefer not to talk about.

Photographic Dictionary / Generated Illustration