# come clean

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/come-clean
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

To confess; admit the truth.

## Examples

- It is time to come clean about what you did.
- After the manager noticed the missing money, the employee decided to come clean and explain his mistake.
- Faced with undeniable evidence of his long-standing deception, the politician finally came clean to the public regarding his secret financial dealings.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.