as in metaphor
a mild or pleasant word group of words that is used instead of one that is unpleasant or offensive
using "eliminate" as a euphemism for "kill" She spoke in euphemisms when recounting the expletive-laden tirade.
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Recent Examples of euphemism
When Oklahoma missed out on the NCAA Tournament, AD Roger Denny announced that coach Porter Moser was staying and offered up one of the great euphemisms of this era.
—
Tim Cowlishaw,
Dallas Morning News,
18 Mar. 2026
Now there were no euphemisms for Germany’s leader.
—
Literary Hub,
27 Feb. 2026
Early critics have called it ‘compassionate,’ which might sound like a euphemism for treacly or didactic.
—
Savannah Salazar,
Vulture,
20 Feb. 2026
Some of the suspects try to minimize their actions with euphemisms or paraphrases; others do so with explanations that the prosecutors find utterly implausible.
—
Richard Brody,
New Yorker,
19 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for euphemism
Tim Cowlishaw,
Dallas Morning News,
18 Mar. 2026
Now there were no euphemisms for Germany’s leader.
—
Literary Hub,
27 Feb. 2026
Early critics have called it ‘compassionate,’ which might sound like a euphemism for treacly or didactic.
—
Savannah Salazar,
Vulture,
20 Feb. 2026
Some of the suspects try to minimize their actions with euphemisms or paraphrases; others do so with explanations that the prosecutors find utterly implausible.
—
Richard Brody,
New Yorker,
19 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for euphemism
Recent Examples of Synonyms for euphemism
Noun
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The creature has become a metaphor in the AI world, symbolizing the uncertainty around how AI models work under the hood.
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Drawing on an astonishing wealth of references to the metaphor of two ships by figures from the early colonial era through the Civil War, Reynolds lops off the Quakers and the Scotch-Irish in favor of the groups that came first and seemed most antithetically opposed—Puritan and Cavalier.
Noun
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To remove the ambiguity and resulting food waste, Assembly Bill 660 was signed into law and goes into effect July 1, which ultimately will reduce the phrases allowed on packages to just two.
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This is the case for some teams at the World Cup who face a ‘dead-rubber’ game — a phrase used to describe a game that has no consequence – as their third group match.
Noun
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Either way, Angela’s slip is definitely showing in terms of behind-the-scenes messiness (seriously, enough is enough with the cheating stories!
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In recent days, after Museveni was sworn in for a seventh consecutive term, Kainerugaba has strengthened his grip with a series of directives and orders usually reserved for the head of state.
Cite this Entry
“Euphemism.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/euphemism. Accessed 30 Jun. 2026.
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