come out of the closet

1. To publicly announce a belief or preference that one has kept hidden, especially one's sexual preference: “At the last moment, the representative came out of the closet and announced her support for the controversial amendment.” (See skeleton in the closet.)

Idioms and Phrases

see come out, def. 6.

Example Sentences

"Let me tell you something: just come out of the closet boys. Come on, it's fun. You can be gay and conservative," he says in the video.

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“Kitara is coming out of the closet after 18 years, thanks to all of you.”

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In his 2022 Emmy award-winning special “Rothaniel,” he reveals his real name, talks about his father’s years of infidelity, and comes out of the closet.

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Those photos can now come out of the closet.

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After they left, the man came out of the closet.

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Related Words

• acknowledge 
• admit 
• confess 
• discover 
• divulge 
• leak 
• publish 
• reveal 
• tell 
• uncover 
• unveil