Meanings
verbpeel the onion (third-person singular simple present peels the onion, present participle peeling the onion, simple past and past participle peeled the onion)
present singular third person peels the onion · participle present peeling the onion · participle past peeled the onion · past peeled the onion
- figurativelyidiomaticTo investigate a matter more deeply, usually step by step, each step leading to a new discovery.
Synonyms: peel back the onion
Synonyms & antonyms
verbTo investigate a matter more deeply, usually step by step, each step leading to a new discovery.
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Translations
Chinese Mandarin 剝洋葱
- 剝洋葱 (bāo yángcōng)Translations
Cite this entry
APA
peel the onion. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/peel%20the%20onion
MLA
“peel the onion.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/peel%20the%20onion. Accessed November 5, 2026.
Chicago
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “peel the onion,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/peel%20the%20onion.
Source: peel the onion on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.