# peel the onion

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/peel-the-onion
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

To investigate a matter more deeply, usually step by step, each step leading to a new discovery.

## Examples

- We need to peel the onion to understand this problem.
- The detective began to peel the onion, uncovering layer after layer of the complex financial fraud.
- As the investigation continued, the journalists had to peel the onion, revealing deeper layers of corruption that the company had long kept hidden from the public.

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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.