Is spill the beans formal or informal?

It is informal. Use it in conversation, not in very formal writing.

What is the difference between spill the beans and reveal?

Spill the beans usually means revealing a secret in a casual way. Reveal is more general and formal.

Can I use spill the beans in business English?

Yes, but mostly in spoken English or friendly writing. In reports, use disclose instead.

← Dictionary

to-spill-the-beans

/tuː spɪl ðə biːnz/

IELTSAcademic

idiom

to tell a secret, especially one you were supposed to keep. It is often informal and used in everyday speech.

Who spilled the beans about the surprise party?
Don't spill the beans yet.
She finally spilled the beans to her sister.

Adinary Nuance

Spill the beans is more casual than reveal or disclose. It usually suggests a secret, surprise, or private plan, not just any information. Writers use it when someone lets a secret out by mistake or under pressure.

In other languages

Vietnamese: lộ bí mật
Spanish: soltar el secreto
Chinese: 说漏嘴
Japanese: 秘密をばらす
Korean: 비밀을 누설하다

Etymology

This idiom comes from an old Greek voting method, where beans were used to cast votes. If the beans were spilled, the result was revealed early. It entered English in the early 1900s.

Common phrases

spill the beansspill the beans aboutdon't spill the beans

Synonyms

reveal disclose confess let on

Related words

secret gossip leak truth

Frequently asked questions

Is spill the beans formal or informal?: It is informal. Use it in conversation, not in very formal writing.
What is the difference between spill the beans and reveal?: Spill the beans usually means revealing a secret in a casual way. Reveal is more general and formal.
Can I use spill the beans in business English?: Yes, but mostly in spoken English or friendly writing. In reports, use disclose instead.