keep it in the family

verb

To restrict knowledge or information to only the members of a family or another small, intimate group.

“Near-synonyms: keep one's own counsel, keep one's mouth shut, STFU; see also Thesaurus:be quiet”

Similar
keep one's own counselkeep one's mouth shutSTFU
Opposite
air one's dirty laundry in public
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Meanings

verbkeep it in the family (third-person singular simple present keeps it in the family, present participle keeping it in the family, simple past and past participle kept it in the family)

present singular third person keeps it in the family · participle present keeping it in the family · participle past kept it in the family · past kept it in the family

  1. idiomaticTo restrict knowledge or information to only the members of a family or another small, intimate group.

    Near-synonyms: keep one's own counsel, keep one's mouth shut, STFU; see also Thesaurus:be quiet

    Synonyms: keep one's own counsel, keep one's mouth shut, STFU · Antonyms: air one's dirty laundry in public

  2. idiomaticTo remain loyal to one's family; to retain family ownership of a business for long period of time.

Synonyms & antonyms

verbTo restrict knowledge or information to only the members of a family or another small, intimate group.

Similar
keep one's own counselkeep one's mouth shutSTFU
Opposite
air one's dirty laundry in public
Also see
keep one's mouth shutkeep one's own counsel
Cite this entry
APA

keep it in the family. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/keep%20it%20in%20the%20family

MLA

“keep it in the family.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/keep%20it%20in%20the%20family. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “keep it in the family,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/keep%20it%20in%20the%20family.

Source: keep it in the family on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.