you can't put the toothpaste back in the tube
In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.
Also seen as: you can't put the toothpaste back into the tube
Meaning · English
Once something is said or done, it cannot be unsaid or undone.
Where it’s used:
Used
American English
Examples
But, as they say, you can't put the toothpaste back in the tube, so once it was out there for everybody to read there was no way of keeping it a secret and that inevitably led to me working it into continuity.
Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30)
Sources & notes
Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).
Common questions
What does “you can't put the toothpaste back in the tube” mean?
Once something is said or done, it cannot be unsaid or undone.
Is “you can't put the toothpaste back in the tube” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.