THE IDIOM COLLECTION LEARN & PRACTISE
A skeleton in the cupboard
Understand the meaning. See it in context. Make it yours.
01 / UNDERSTAND
Meaning in plain English
An embarrassing secret that someone wants to keep hidden.
02 / SEE IT IN CONTEXT
The expression in a sentence
- The novel’s main character fears that a skeleton in the cupboard will be revealed.
03 / CHECK YOUR UNDERSTANDING
Quick idiom quiz
Try the question without looking back, then write a sentence of your own. You can retry as often as you like.
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Can you recall the expression?
Complete the example using the expression from this lesson.
The novel’s main character fears that ________ will be revealed.
Show the answer
A skeleton in the cupboard — An embarrassing secret that someone wants to keep hidden.
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Make it yours
Write one sentence using “A skeleton in the cupboard” about your own life.
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Does your sentence match this meaning?
An embarrassing secret that someone wants to keep hidden.
Compare: The novel’s main character fears that a skeleton in the cupboard will be revealed.
Check the spelling and how the expression fits the sentence. Your example can be different.
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More ways to understand and use it
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When to use it
Use this expression in informal discussion or storytelling about concealed past events. It implies embarrassment, so avoid using it to speculate about people without evidence.
More examples in context
- In the comedy, a forgotten school prank becomes the family’s skeleton in the cupboard.
- The interviewer asked the fictional candidate whether he had any skeletons in the cupboard.
Usage note
“Cupboard” is a British variant; “a skeleton in the closet” is common in American English. The plural is “skeletons”. It need not refer to a crime or a literal skeleton.
A short conversation
A: Why is the character so worried about the reunion?
B: There’s a skeleton in the cupboard that he thinks an old classmate remembers.
A: I wonder when the story will reveal it.
One more practice question
What makes a secret a skeleton in the cupboard?
A. It would cause embarrassment if revealed.
B. It is information everyone already openly discusses.
Check your answer
A. The phrase describes a concealed, potentially embarrassing matter.
Related lessons
Meaning and usage checked against Cambridge Dictionary. Explanations, examples and conversation are original.