How to Use white elephant in a Sentence
white elephant
noun-
The best white elephant gifts don’t have to be gag gifts.
— Samantha Jones, Better Homes & Gardens, 9 Nov. 2022 -
The best white elephant gifts are things that are, frankly, a little bit cursed.
— Wilder Davies, Bon Appétit, 15 Dec. 2023 -
No more white elephant venues that start to decay as soon as the Olympians leave town.
— John Leicester, The Christian Science Monitor, 11 Sep. 2017 -
In search of a great stocking stuffer or white elephant gift?
— Rachel Murphy, Detroit Free Press, 28 Nov. 2022 -
The old bridge has become something of a white elephant.
— Bill Bowden, Arkansas Online, 15 Dec. 2019 -
Without enough ships and guns, the Zumwalts were in danger of becoming the white elephants of the fleet.
— Kyle Mizokami, Popular Mechanics, 17 May 2019 -
Is the Global Center a white elephant that can’t be saved?
— Cory Shaffer, cleveland, 26 Nov. 2019 -
Gifts Under $25 Need a white elephant gift for $25 or less?
— Alex Warner, Peoplemag, 24 Nov. 2022 -
China is, of course, big enough to handle a few white elephants.
— Charlie Campbell / Khorgos, Time, 23 Oct. 2017 -
The Matrix, on the other hand, has always been white elephant art.
— Samuel Goldman, The Week, 16 Sep. 2021 -
These things make great stocking stuffers or white elephant gifts.
— Scott Gilbertson, WIRED, 20 Nov. 2023 -
The list is packed with affordable finds that would make great stocking stuffers and white elephant presents.
— Isabel Garcia, Peoplemag, 1 Nov. 2022 -
The ideal white elephant gift is something that’s useful and fun.
— Molly Allen, Southern Living, 20 Oct. 2023 -
Keep scrolling to shop more white elephant gift exchange ideas under $50 now.
— Alyssa Grabinski, Peoplemag, 5 Dec. 2023 -
Workman wheeled himself to the church hall, where a game of white elephant with the congregants awaited.
— Silvia Foster-Frau, San Antonio Express-News, 23 Dec. 2017 -
The group provides lunch and members are asked to bring their own beverage and lawn chair along with a $5 wrapped white elephant gift.
— San Diego Union-Tribune, 15 Aug. 2022 -
Shopping for a white elephant gift exchange can be a fun but daunting task.
— Clara McMahon, Peoplemag, 8 Dec. 2023 -
To relieve its debt crisis, Sri Lanka has put its white elephants up for sale.
— Brook Larmer, New York Times, 13 Sep. 2017 -
This pocket-size massage gun makes a great stocking stuffer or white elephant gift.
— Moriah Mason, Southern Living, 14 Nov. 2023 -
It’s an advent calendar and white elephant gift in one!
— Mackenzie Chung Fegan, Bon Appétit, 11 Nov. 2022 -
This dachshund ice tray would be a wacky yet welcome addition to any white elephant gift pool.
— Time, 25 Nov. 2022 -
Shop the gloves in six different colors for the coziest white elephant gifts.
— Samantha Jones, Better Homes & Gardens, 24 Aug. 2023 -
Give the funkiest white elephant gift of the season with a kombucha starter kit that allows the recipient to make their own brew at home.
— Time, 25 Nov. 2022 -
The sprawling terminal may have become a bit of a white elephant with the falloff in passenger traffic, but not so the airport as a whole.
— New York Times, 23 May 2018 -
More great reads Queen Mary, once a sinking white elephant, shows signs of remarkable revival.
— Kevinisha Walker, Los Angeles Times, 6 Jan. 2024 -
The key to a truly excellent white elephant gift is finding the rare item that is both funny and functional.
— Time, 25 Nov. 2022 -
The famous bake table, with cheese balls, jams and jellies, and the eclectic white elephant tables, will still be part of the market, as will the delicious meals.
— Tracy Trobridge, baltimoresun.com, 6 Nov. 2020 -
But Leggat’s deal to buy the giant white elephant from the state for the aforementioned sum remains up in the air, nearly seven years later.
— Jon Chesto, BostonGlobe.com, 12 Aug. 2019 -
Enjoy a free cup of coffee while shopping for baked goods, books, children’s clothes, and white elephant treasures.
— courant.com, 8 Oct. 2021 -
The white elephant in the room throughout the whole impeachment procedure was the Big Lie: the refusal of the former president to accept the result of the election.
— Star Tribune, 21 Feb. 2021
Some of these examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'white elephant.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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