to sweep under the rug

Examples

• All

• They're making sure that this whole mess doesn't get swept under the rug.

  Blog text (15)

• It's a situation that cannot be swept under the rug anymore.

  Blog text (2)

• And in fact, this is this, if we go back this, this, this is something I kind of swept under the rug earlier.

• Why has all this been swept under the rug?

  Hillary's America: The Secret History of the Democratic Party (2016)

• It's not something you should sweep under the rug.

  Man of the Year (2006)

• And criminal acts should never be swept under the rug.

  Blog text (3)

• Still, he admitted that for decades this has been a problem the military has been sweeping under the rug.

  Blog text (6)

• Thanks again for speaking out so personally and candidly about something that is usually swept under the rug.

  Blog text (29)

• The family doesn't want to talk about it, but it can't be swept under the rug.

  The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (2011)

• It's all too tempting to try to sweep under the rug the atrocities of autocratic allies.

  Human Rights Watch

Synonyms

G

to get away with it

vsto sweep under the rug

234 3.4

Escape blame or punishment for doing something wrong

tries to hide problems rather than avoid legal or moral consequences

C

to cover for

vsto sweep under the rug

• Informal

156 4.4

To do or say something to hide someone's bad action

hides problems rather than simply giving excuses for people

T

to turn a blind eye

vsto sweep under the rug

41 5.4

Choose to ignore something wrong

actively hides problems rather than passively ignoring them

L

to let it slide

vsto sweep under the rug

• Informal

38 5.9

To ignore a small mistake to avoid an argument

hides problems deliberately rather than merely overlooking small faults

G

to gloss over

vsto sweep under the rug

22 6.5

Make a problem or mistake seem less serious by leaving out details

hides problems completely rather than merely downplaying details

W

to whitewash

vsto sweep under the rug

12 6.0

To hide bad facts to make something seem better

hides problems but focuses on masking image rather than solving them

P

to paper over

vsto sweep under the rug

• Informal

5 7.9

Try to hide problems instead of dealing with them

means the same but emphasizes disguising rather than repairing

H

to hush up

vsto sweep under the rug

• Informal

2 7.2

Stop people finding out about a mistake, crime, or embarrassing event

tries to hide problems rather than dealing with them openly

S

to sidestep the issue

vsto sweep under the rug

1 6.0

To avoid answering a difficult question by changing the subject

hides problems rather than merely avoiding them

P

to push under the carpet

vsto sweep under the rug

• UK

7.3

To ignore or hide problems instead of dealing with them

means the same but uses different wording

W

to whitewash the issues

vsto sweep under the rug

8.4

To hide problems or make them seem less serious

hides problems generally rather than only shaping public image

W

to whitewash the scandal

vsto sweep under the rug

7.5

To try to hide a scandal by giving wrong information to the public

hides problems generally rather than only concealing one wrongdoing

H

to hide the dirt

vsto sweep under the rug

• Informal

8.2

To keep secret wrong actions or mistakes from other people

hides problems more generally rather than only concealing evidence

C

concealing

vsto sweep under the rug

4.1

Hiding something so people cannot see or know about it

refers specifically to hiding problems instead of dealing with them openly

S

to soft-pedal the issue

vsto sweep under the rug

7.7

Treat a problem as less important to avoid dealing with it

hides problems outright rather than just making them seem less important

F

to fudge the issue

vsto sweep under the rug

• Informal

8.4

To avoid answering a question directly by being unclear

hides problems directly rather than being merely vague or evasive

Antonyms

A

to address

∞ 3.6

To deal with a subject in speech or writing

C

to confront

359 4.4

Face a difficult problem or fear directly and bravely

How Open

to reveal

∞ 2.3

to address

∞ 3.6

to acknowledge

367 3.8

to brush aside

13 4.5

to sweep under the rug

• Informal

8 7.7

Surface Forms

Morphology

Etymology