elephant in the room

noun phrase

: an obvious major problem or issue that people avoid discussing or acknowledging

Examples of elephant in the room in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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Never afraid to identify the elephant in the room, her straightforward and compassionate manner was a welcome asset in any and every negotiation. Dp Opinion, The Denver Post, 4 Feb. 2025 Melius Research moved to the sidelines on Advanced Micro Devices , but there isn’t any elephant in the room with this call. Alex Harring, CNBC, 28 Jan. 2025 From there, there was the subtext from teammates about an elephant in the room. Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 22 Jan. 2025 In addition to family obligations, Henderson said there is an elephant in the room, or along the avenue rather, that is contributing to the struggle of local small businesses. Mars King, Twin Cities, 18 Jan. 2025 See all Example Sentences for elephant in the room 

Word History

First Known Use

1985, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of elephant in the room was in 1985

Dictionary Entries Near elephant in the room

Cite this Entry

“Elephant in the room.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/elephant%20in%20the%20room. Accessed 19 Feb. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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