Sweep Something Under the Rug.
English
idiom
To hide or ignore something bad to avoid consequences.
Trusted by1.5M+English learners & teachers worldwide
To hide or ignore something bad to avoid consequences.
Trusted by1.5M+English learners & teachers worldwide
To hide a problem instead of dealing with it properly.
When someone sweeps something under the rug, they avoid talking about an issue and pretend it doesn't exist.
It's often used when someone avoids responsibility or wants to protect their image.
"Turn a Blind Eye"
—
Deliberately ignoring something that is happening, not actively hiding it
"Brush It Off"
—
Dismissing something as unimportant, not the same as hiding it
"Sweep Something Under the Rug"
—
Hiding a problem and pretending it doesn't exist to avoid dealing with it
I don't want to sweep this under the rug — the bug is still there and needs fixing.
You're right. Let's escalate it today.
Did you two ever talk about what happened between you?
No — he just swept it under the rug and acted like nothing happened.
Do you think they'll address it publicly?
Doubtful — they'd rather sweep it under the rug.
