The Village Idiom

the cat's out of the bag

The idiom "the cat's out of the bag" means that a secret or hidden information has been revealed or made known to everyone, often causing surprise or a negative outcome.

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In a sentence

  • She accidentally revealed her surprise party plans to her husband, and now the cat's out of the bag.
  • The company's new product was supposed to be a secret, but the cat's out of the bag after leaked photos appeared online.
  • Despite their efforts to keep it quiet, the news of their engagement is now known by everyone - the cat's out of the bag.

Where it comes from and how it is used

The idiom "the cat's out of the bag" is a common expression used in the English language to convey the idea of a secret being revealed or confidential information being disclosed. It can be related to other idioms such as "let the cat out of the bag", "the genie's out of the bottle", "come out", "spill the beans", and "cat in the meal-tub". Each of these idioms shares a similar theme of disclosure or revelation.

Let's start with the idiom "let the cat out of the bag". This expression has a similar meaning to "the cat's out of the bag", emphasizing the release of information that was previously hidden or confidential. It can be used interchangeably in many situations, highlighting the universal nature of this concept.

Know an earlier use or a better origin story?Tell us.