In the USA, people value the right to speak and share ideas. But sometimes, certain information gets blocked or removed. This control over what can be said or shown is called censorship. It can happen in books, news, movies, and even on the internet. While censorship can protect people from harmful content, it can also limit free speech.
Over time, Americans have created many idioms to talk about censorship. These phrases make it easier to express feelings about when voices are silenced or ideas are hidden. Some idioms are serious, while others are more playful. In this article, we will explore common idioms about censorship, what they mean, and how they are used in everyday conversations in the USA.
Idioms About Censorship
1. Bite your tongue
Meaning: To stop yourself from saying something.
Example Sentence:
• I wanted to tell the truth, but I had to bite my tongue.
• He bit his tongue instead of arguing with the teacher.
Other ways to say: Hold back, keep quiet
Fun Fact/Origin: This phrase comes from the idea that if you literally bit your tongue, you couldn’t speak.
Usage: Used when you avoid saying something that might upset others.
2. Zip your lip
Meaning: To stop talking.
Example Sentence:
• Mom told me to zip my lip during the movie.
• He zipped his lip when the principal walked in.
Other ways to say: Be quiet, hush up
Fun Fact/Origin: Comes from the idea of closing a zipper to keep your mouth shut.
Usage: Often said in a playful but firm way to tell someone to be silent.
3. Mum’s the word
Meaning: Don’t tell anyone.
Example Sentence:
• Mum’s the word about the surprise party.
• He told me to keep it secret, so mum’s the word.
Other ways to say: Keep it secret, stay silent
Fun Fact/Origin: “Mum” is an old word for silence from the Middle Ages.
Usage: Used when keeping information private.
4. Keep under wraps
Meaning: To hide or keep something secret.
Example Sentence:
• The company kept the new game under wraps until the launch.
• We’re keeping the plan under wraps for now.
Other ways to say: Hide, cover up
Fun Fact/Origin: Comes from wrapping something to hide it from view.
Usage: Used for events, projects, or ideas that are being kept secret.
5. Cover your tracks
Meaning: To hide what you have done.
Example Sentence:
• He deleted his messages to cover his tracks.
• The kids covered their tracks after sneaking cookies.
Other ways to say: Hide evidence, erase clues
Fun Fact/Origin: Comes from hunters hiding footprints so animals couldn’t follow them.
Usage: Used when someone tries to hide their actions.
6. Sweep under the rug
Meaning: To hide a problem instead of fixing it.
Example Sentence:
• The school swept the cheating under the rug.
• They swept the mistake under the rug instead of telling the truth.
Other ways to say: Hide the problem, ignore it
Fun Fact/Origin: Comes from the idea of brushing dirt under a rug so it can’t be seen.
Usage: Used when people avoid dealing with issues.
7. Pull the plug
Meaning: To stop something from continuing.
Example Sentence:
• They pulled the plug on the TV show.
• The teacher pulled the plug on the noisy game.
Other ways to say: Shut down, cancel
Fun Fact/Origin: From unplugging a machine to make it stop working.
Usage: Used when an event or project is suddenly stopped.
8. Sit on it
Meaning: To keep information to yourself.
Example Sentence:
• She sat on the news for weeks.
• He told me to sit on it until the right time.
Other ways to say: Hold it back, keep quiet
Fun Fact/Origin: Comes from the image of sitting on something to keep it hidden.
Usage: Used when delaying sharing information.
9. Draw the line
Meaning: To set a limit on what is allowed.
Example Sentence:
• The editor drew the line at using rude words.
• We draw the line at false information.
Other ways to say: Set limits, say no
Fun Fact/Origin: Comes from sports and law, where a line shows boundaries.
Usage: Used when deciding what is not acceptable.
10. Button your lip
Meaning: To stop talking.
Example Sentence:
• Button your lip about the surprise.
• He buttoned his lip when the boss walked in.
Other ways to say: Keep quiet, hush up
Fun Fact/Origin: Comes from the idea of fastening your lips like buttons.
Usage: Often used in a playful or firm way.
11. Hold your tongue
Meaning: Stop yourself from speaking.
Example Sentence:
• She held her tongue instead of arguing.
• He wanted to complain but held his tongue.
Other ways to say: Keep quiet, stay silent
Fun Fact/Origin: Dates back to the 1500s, meaning to control your speech.
Usage: Used when someone avoids saying something.
12. Under the table
Meaning: Done secretly or without permission.
Example Sentence:
• They made an under-the-table deal to avoid the rules.
• He paid for it under the table so no one would know.
Other ways to say: In secret, hidden
Fun Fact/Origin: Comes from the idea of hiding actions under a table so they’re unseen.
Usage: Used for hidden deals or actions.
13. Cut off at the pass
Meaning: To stop something before it happens.
Example Sentence:
• The teacher cut off the rumor at the pass.
• They cut off the story before it got out.
Other ways to say: Stop early, block
Fun Fact/Origin: Comes from cowboy movies, where outlaws were stopped at a mountain pass.
Usage: Used when stopping news or actions early.
14. Lock it down
Meaning: To control or restrict completely.
Example Sentence:
• They locked down the comments section.
• The school locked it down after the rumor spread.
Other ways to say: Restrict, secure
Fun Fact/Origin: Comes from security terms for stopping all movement or activity.
Usage: Used when controlling access or speech.
15. Clamp down
Meaning: To enforce strict control.
Example Sentence:
• The government clamped down on illegal websites.
• The school clamped down on phone use.
Other ways to say: Crack down, get strict
Fun Fact/Origin: Comes from a clamp holding things tightly so they can’t move.
Usage: Used for strong control over actions.
16. Close the book on
Meaning: To end something completely.
Example Sentence:
• They closed the book on the investigation.
• The editor closed the book on the project.
Other ways to say: End it, finish it
Fun Fact/Origin: Comes from literally shutting a book when done reading.
Usage: Used when stopping something for good.
17. Shut down
Meaning: To stop an activity.
Example Sentence:
• They shut down the protest.
• The store shut down the event early.
Other ways to say: Close, stop
Fun Fact/Origin: Comes from machinery being turned off.
Usage: Used when ending events or actions.
18. Black out
Meaning: To block information from being seen or heard.
Example Sentence:
• The news report was blacked out in some states.
• They blacked out the names in the document.
Other ways to say: Block out, hide
Fun Fact/Origin: Comes from covering something with black ink or blocking TV signals.
Usage: Used in media and censorship contexts.
19. Play it close to the vest
Meaning: To keep information private.
Example Sentence:
• The director played it close to the vest about the plot.
• She played it close to the vest during the meeting.
Other ways to say: Keep private, stay guarded
Fun Fact/Origin: From card games, where holding cards close hides them from others.
Usage: Used when someone shares little information.
20. Gag order
Meaning: A rule stopping people from talking about something.
Example Sentence:
• The court issued a gag order on the case.
• He couldn’t comment because of a gag order.
Other ways to say: Speech ban, silence rule
Fun Fact/Origin: From legal language where “gag” means to stop someone from speaking.
Usage: Used mostly in legal or official situations.
21. Shut your trap
Meaning: To stop talking.
Example Sentence:
• Shut your trap and listen.
• He shut his trap when the teacher walked in.
Other ways to say: Be quiet, hush
Fun Fact/Origin: “Trap” is slang for mouth.
Usage: Used informally, sometimes harshly.
22. Hush up
Meaning: To keep something quiet.
Example Sentence:
• They tried to hush up the mistake.
• She hushed up the argument before it spread.
Other ways to say: Silence, cover up
Fun Fact/Origin: “Hush” means quiet, and “up” makes it sound stronger.
Usage: Used for covering mistakes or events.
23. Seal lips
Meaning: To promise to keep silent.
Example Sentence:
• He sealed his lips about the meeting.
• She sealed her lips on the subject.
Other ways to say: Keep quiet, say nothing
Fun Fact/Origin: Comes from the image of sealing something shut.
Usage: Used for keeping secrets.
24. Keep in the dark
Meaning: To not tell someone something.
Example Sentence:
• They kept the workers in the dark about the changes.
• She felt in the dark about the plan.
Other ways to say: Hide information, not inform
Fun Fact/Origin: Comes from darkness representing lack of knowledge.
Usage: Used when information is hidden.
25. Put a lid on it
Meaning: To stop talking or stop something.
Example Sentence:
• Put a lid on it before someone hears.
• The coach told them to put a lid on the argument.
Other ways to say: Stop, be quiet
Fun Fact/Origin: Comes from putting a lid on a container to keep things inside.
Usage: Used in both playful and serious contexts.
26. Censor out
Meaning: To remove parts that are not allowed.
Example Sentence:
• They censored out all the rude words.
• The video was censored out before release.
Other ways to say: Edit out, cut
Fun Fact/Origin: Directly related to censorship in the media.
Usage: Used in TV, movies, and online media.
27. X out
Meaning: To remove or block something.
Example Sentence:
• They X’d out the wrong answers.
• The photo was X’d out in the report.
Other ways to say: Cross out, erase
Fun Fact/Origin: From drawing an X to cancel something.
Usage: Used for removing content or information.
28. Keep a lid on
Meaning: To control or keep something quiet.
Example Sentence:
• They kept a lid on the story until morning.
• He kept a lid on the rumors.
Other ways to say: Control, contain
Fun Fact/Origin: Similar to “put a lid on,” it means to keep contained.
Usage: Used when stopping news or gossip from spreading.
29. Blow the whistle
Meaning: To tell others about wrongdoing.
Example Sentence:
• She blew the whistle on the unfair rules.
• He blew the whistle about the scam.
Other ways to say: Expose, report
Fun Fact/Origin: Comes from referees using whistles to stop games.
Usage: Used for revealing hidden wrongdoings.
30. Redact
Meaning: To hide or block parts of text.
Example Sentence:
• The names were redacted from the file.
• They redacted the address before posting it online.
Other ways to say: Black out, hide
Fun Fact/Origin: Common in government papers where information is blacked out.
Usage: Used for sensitive or secret information.
31. Pull the curtain
Meaning: To hide something from public view.
Example Sentence:
• They pulled the curtain on the failed project.
• The company pulled the curtain on the test results.
Other ways to say: Hide, block
Fun Fact/Origin: Comes from closing curtains to block a view.
Usage: Used when ending public access to something.
32. Whitewash
Meaning: To cover up the bad parts.
Example Sentence:
• The report whitewashed the company’s mistakes.
• They whitewashed the history books.
Other ways to say: Gloss over, hide flaws
Fun Fact/Origin: From painting walls white to hide stains.
Usage: Used when hiding the truth.
33. Take offline
Meaning: To remove something from public access.
Example Sentence:
• They took the post offline after complaints.
• The video was taken offline for review.
Other ways to say: Remove, pull down
Fun Fact/Origin: Comes from removing something from the internet or public view.
Usage: Used in tech and media.
34. Snuff out
Meaning: To end or stop something quickly.
Example Sentence:
• They snuffed out the rumor before it spread.
• The fire was snuffed out by the rain.
Other ways to say: Extinguish, kill off
Fun Fact/Origin: Comes from putting out a candle flame.
Usage: Used when quickly stopping speech or activity.
35. Keep a tight lid
Meaning: To control information very closely.
Example Sentence:
• They kept a tight lid on the investigation.
• She kept a tight lid on her plans.
Other ways to say: Guard closely, control
Fun Fact/Origin: Similar to other “lid” idioms, meaning to seal something shut.
Usage: Used when preventing information from leaking.
Quiz: Idioms About Censorship
Instruction: Choose the best answer for each question. Only one choice is correct.
Question Key
1. What does “bite your tongue” mean?
A) Speak very quickly
B) Stop yourself from saying something
C) Tell a funny story
2. If a teacher says “zip your lip,” they want you to:
A) Sing louder
B) Stop talking
C) Whisper quietly
3. When someone says “mum’s the word,” they mean:
A) Keep it a secret
B) Shout the news
C) Write it down
4. What does “sweep under the rug” mean?
A) Hide a problem instead of fixing it
B) Clean up a mess completely
C) Decorate your home
5. If a company “pulls the plug” on a project, they:
A) Start it
B) Stop it
C) Make it bigger
6. What does “play it close to the vest” mean?
A) Keep information private
B) Wear a tight vest
C) Tell everyone your plan
7. If a court gives a “gag order,” it means:
A) People must stop talking about a case
B) People have to speak louder
C) People must sing in court
8. When you “keep in the dark” about something, you:
A) Stay away from light
B) Are not told the truth
C) Sleep early
9. “Put a lid on it” means:
A) Stop talking or stop something
B) Cook food
C) Put a cover on a jar only
10. If a post is “taken offline,” it is:
A) Made public for the first time
B) Removed from public access
C) Sent to more people
11. What does “whitewash” mean?
A) Paint something white only
B) Hide the bad parts of a story
C) Clean walls with soap
12. To “snuff out” a rumor means:
A) Stop it quickly
B) Spread it faster
C) Change it into a joke
13. If someone “keeps a tight lid” on a plan, they:
A) Tell everyone about it
B) Control the information closely
C) Forget about it
Answer Key
- B) Stop yourself from saying something
- B) Stop talking
- A) Keep it a secret
- A) Hide a problem instead of fixing it
- B) Stop it
- A) Keep information private
- A) People must stop talking about a case
- B) Are not told the truth
- A) Stop talking or stop something
- B) Removed from public access
- B) Hide the bad parts of a story
- A) Stop it quickly
- B) Control the information closely
Wrapping Up
Censorship idioms are part of everyday talk in the USA. They make it easier to explain when speech, ideas, or actions are limited or hidden. Some of these phrases sound light and playful, while others carry a serious tone. Learning them helps you understand news stories, conversations, and even movies more clearly.
From “bite your tongue” to “keep a tight lid,” each expression paints a picture of controlling or stopping words. These idioms don’t just show how people talk about censorship—they also show how Americans value both free speech and the choice to stay silent.
