Meaning: This idiom means to hide or ignore a problem or issue instead of dealing with it. It implies attempting to keep something unpleasant or embarrassing out of sight and out of mind.
Usage in Example Sentences:
- “The company tried to sweep the financial irregularities under the rug, but the auditors uncovered the truth.”
- “Instead of addressing the conflict directly, they chose to sweep it under the rug and pretend everything was fine.”
- “You can’t just sweep your mistakes under the rug; you need to confront them and make things right.”
Origin: The origin of the idiom “sweep something under the rug” comes from the literal act of sweeping dirt or debris under a rug to quickly hide it instead of properly cleaning it up. This act of concealing messes out of sight without addressing the underlying issue has been used metaphorically to describe avoiding or ignoring problems rather than facing them. The phrase effectively conveys the idea of superficial tidiness while leaving unresolved issues hidden and potentially problematic in the future.
