How do you use "Skeleton in the closet" in a sentence?

Every family has skeletons in the closet — ours is no different. The background check turned up a few skeletons in his closet. She ran for office hoping nobody would find the skeletons in her closet.

Skeleton in the closet

Q: What does "Skeleton in the closet" mean?

A shameful or embarrassing secret from someone's past. Used to describe hidden secrets that could be damaging if revealed. Everyone has skeletons in their closet — past mistakes, embarrassing incidents, or hidden truths. Especially common in political contexts, where opponents dig for each other's skeletons.

American Slang Term American ★★★★☆ Common informal

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Meaning: A shameful or embarrassing secret from someone's past.

过去的丑事或不可告人的秘密。

Un secreto vergonzoso o embarazoso del pasado de alguien.

過去の恥ずかしい秘密や後ろ暗い秘密。

과거의 부끄럽거나 창피한 비밀.

Used to describe hidden secrets that could be damaging if revealed. Everyone has skeletons in their closet — past mistakes, embarrassing incidents, or hidden truths. Especially common in political contexts, where opponents dig for each other's skeletons.

用于描述一旦被揭露可能造成伤害的隐藏秘密。每个人衣柜里都有骷髅——过去的错误、令人尴尬的事件或隐瞒的真相。在政治语境中尤其常见，对手会互相挖掘对方的黑历史。

Se usa para describir secretos ocultos que podrían ser perjudiciales si salieran a la luz. Todo el mundo tiene trapos sucios: errores del pasado, incidentes embarazosos o verdades ocultas. Es especialmente habitual en contextos políticos, donde los oponentes buscan los secretos del otro.

明るみに出ると損害を与えかねない隠された秘密を表す。誰もがクローゼットに骸骨を隠している——過去の失敗、恥ずかしい出来事、隠された真実など。政治の文脈で特によく使われ、対立候補が互いの秘密を掘り起こそうとする。

드러나면 해가 될 수 있는 숨겨진 비밀을 묘사할 때 사용한다. 누구나 과거의 실수, 창피한 사건, 숨겨진 진실과 같은 비밀이 있다. 특히 정치적 맥락에서 상대방의 비밀을 파헤칠 때 흔히 사용된다.

Examples

Every family has skeletons in the closet — ours is no different.
每个家庭都有不可告人的秘密——我们家也不例外。
Todas las familias tienen trapos sucios: la nuestra no es diferente.
どの家族にも隠し事はある——うちも例外じゃない。
어느 가정이나 감추고 싶은 비밀은 있다—우리 집도 마찬가지야.
The background check turned up a few skeletons in his closet.
背景调查揭出了他过去的几个秘密。
La investigación de antecedentes sacó a la luz algunos trapos sucios de su pasado.
身元調査で彼の過去の秘密がいくつか明るみに出た。
신원 조사에서 그의 과거 비밀 몇 가지가 드러났다.
She ran for office hoping nobody would find the skeletons in her closet.
她参选时祈祷没人会发现她的那些陈年旧事。
Se presentó a las elecciones esperando que nadie descubriera sus trapos sucios.
彼女は自分の過去の秘密が誰にもバレないことを祈って立候補した。
그녀는 자신의 과거 비밀이 아무에게도 발각되지 않기를 바라며 출마했다.

Pronunciation

Usage Guide

Context: gossip, politics, secrets

Tone: revealing, cautionary

✓ Do Say

Everyone has skeletons in their closet.
Everyone has skeletons in their closet.
Todos tienen un esqueleto en el armario.
Everyone has skeletons in their closet.（誰にでも隠し事はある。）
누구나 감추고 싶은 비밀이 있어.
That's a skeleton in the closet.
That's a skeleton in the closet.
Eso es un esqueleto en el armario.
That's a skeleton in the closet.（それは後ろ暗い秘密だね。）
그건 감추고 싶은 비밀이네.

✗ Don't Say

Threatening to reveal someone's skeletons in the closet is a form of blackmail — handle secrets carefully
威胁要揭露别人的秘密是一种勒索行为——要谨慎对待他人的隐私
Amenazar con revelar los secretos de alguien es una forma de chantaje: hay que manejar los secretos con cuidado
誰かの秘密を暴露すると脅すのは恐喝の一種——秘密は慎重に扱おう
누군가의 비밀을 폭로하겠다고 위협하는 것은 협박의 한 형태이다—비밀은 신중히 다뤄야 한다

Origin & History

The American version uses 'closet' (British English uses 'cupboard'). The phrase emerged in the early 1800s, possibly inspired by the idea of a hidden body — or from medical students who kept illegal cadavers for study hidden in their closets.

Cultural Context

Era: 1800s-present

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal