# the genie is out of the bottle

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/the-genie-is-out-of-the-bottle
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

Information has been released that will have ongoing consequences.

## Examples

- The secret is out and the genie is out of the bottle.
- Once the company leaked the confidential merger plans to the press, the genie was out of the bottle.
- By publishing the classified documents, the whistleblower ensured that the genie was out of the bottle, regardless of the legal consequences that followed.

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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.