dirty laundry
noun
: private matters whose public exposure brings distress and embarrassment
called also dirty linen
Examples of dirty laundry in a Sentence
The company is trying to keep its dirty laundry from being aired in public.
Recent Examples on the Web
As an additional precaution, wear protective gloves when handling dirty laundry used by someone who is highly contagious.
—
Jolie Kerr, Better Homes & Gardens, 21 Oct. 2024
Modern Perspectives on Laundry Sorting With the growing popularity of large-capacity front-loading washers in the late 1990s, consumers welcomed the possibility of washing all of the dirty laundry in the hamper at the same time.
—Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 13 Oct. 2024
Rather than put his family through another devastating trial—the gun case in Delaware was deeply embarrassing to the Bidens as family dirty laundry seemed to come up daily—Hunter Biden entered a guilty plea on Thursday.
—Philip Elliott, TIME, 7 Sep. 2024
Older kids might start learning to take more responsibility, even if that’s as simple as placing dirty laundry in the proper hamper, and kids at heart could always use a few expert tips to tackle all those piles of dirty clothes.
—Blake Bakkila, Sunset Magazine, 12 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for dirty laundry 
These examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
illustrate current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of
Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback
about these examples.
Jolie Kerr, Better Homes & Gardens, 21 Oct. 2024
Modern Perspectives on Laundry Sorting With the growing popularity of large-capacity front-loading washers in the late 1990s, consumers welcomed the possibility of washing all of the dirty laundry in the hamper at the same time.
—Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 13 Oct. 2024
Rather than put his family through another devastating trial—the gun case in Delaware was deeply embarrassing to the Bidens as family dirty laundry seemed to come up daily—Hunter Biden entered a guilty plea on Thursday.
—Philip Elliott, TIME, 7 Sep. 2024
Older kids might start learning to take more responsibility, even if that’s as simple as placing dirty laundry in the proper hamper, and kids at heart could always use a few expert tips to tackle all those piles of dirty clothes.
—Blake Bakkila, Sunset Magazine, 12 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for dirty laundry
Dictionary Entries Near dirty laundry
Cite this Entry
“Dirty laundry.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dirty%20laundry. Accessed 5 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share