come up smelling like a rose

come up smelling like a rose

To maintain a favorable reputation despite involvement in a scandalous or otherwise negative situation. By reporting his colleagues as soon as the feds started snooping around, the CEO pocketed millions and still came up smelling like a rose.

See also: come, like, rose, smell, up

Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2015 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.

come up smelling like a rose

 and come up smelling like roses

Fig. to end up looking good or respectable after being involved in some difficult or notorious affair. I was surprised that my congressional representative came up smelling like a rose after his colleagues investigated him.

See also: come, like, rose, smell, up

McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs. © 2002 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.