# keep a lid on

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/keep-a-lid-on
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

To keep something secret.

## Examples

- Please keep a lid on this until I finish the project.
- The company asked the employees to keep a lid on the merger news until the official announcement.
- Despite the mounting pressure from the press, the administration struggled to keep a lid on the details of the ongoing investigation.

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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.