come clean
/ˌkʌm ˈkliːn/INFORMAL · B2
Meaning
to finally admit the truth about something you kept hidden
Examples
- 1Leo finally came clean and admitted he had lost his sister's camera.
- 2If you broke the window, it's better to come clean now than wait for Dad to find out.
- 3After a week of lying, Maria came clean and told her parents she had failed the exam.
- 4The company came clean about the data leak only after journalists started asking questions.
- 5Why won't Tom come clean about where he was last night?
Grammar
Only come changes: comes, coming, came. What you admit follows about.
More idioms about honesty and secrets
All 20 idioms and the topic quiz →keep something under your hatto not tell anyone else about somethinga skeleton in the cupboardan embarrassing fact from someone's past that they hidebehind closed doorsin private, where the public cannot see or hearmy lips are sealedsaid when you promise not to tell anyonea wolf in sheep's clothingsomeone who seems friendly but is really dangerouswalls have earsused to warn that someone may be listening
English Idioms400 idioms in 20 topics — with reviews that keep them from fading
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