sweep under
phrasal verb·1 sense·particle under
Meanings
Hide something inconvenient from view, often by ignoring it
Why “under”? Under the surface means hidden.
“They swept the scandal under the rug.”
“The club swept the missing money under the rug.”
Don't confuse with
Sweep under means hide something inconvenient from view, often by ignoring it. Sweep aside means refuse to consider objections, often dismissively.
Test yourself
“They swept the scandal under the rug.” What does it mean?
Nearby in the meaning map
Sink In connects verbs by particle pattern, contrast pairs, and shared base verbs.
sweep aside
A contrast learners often mix up
Refuse to consider objections, often dismissively
hide under
Same under pattern: hiding
Hide something beneath a covering
slip under
Same under pattern: hiding
Quietly place something underneath a surface
tuck under
Same under pattern: hiding
Place something neatly beneath a covering
work under
Same under pattern: hiding
Operate without revealing one's identity or intentions
sweep away
Same base verb: sweep
Carry off forcefully
sweep up
Same base verb: sweep
Clean a floor by gathering dirt with a brush
Sink In — iOS & Android
Practice “sweep under” in Sink In
Drill “sweep under” and 1,300+ other phrasal verbs with spaced repetition, organised by the particle patterns that connect them.
- Learn the pattern behind dozens of verbs at once — not one-off translations.
- Spaced repetition (SM-2) brings each meaning back right before you forget.
- Four practice modes train recall and discrimination, not just recognition.
