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
Blashill kept Burakovsky on the top line for far too long, and his reasons varied each time the elephant in the room was addressed.
—
Kalen Lumpkins, Chicago Tribune, 15 Apr. 2026
Courtenay Valenti, head of film at Amazon MGM Studios, address the elephant in the room right off.
—Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 15 Apr. 2026
The question is how much, if at all, executives from either company will address the elephant in the room from the stage as former 20th Century Fox Chair and CEO Stacey Snider did in 2018 with the Disney acquisition looming.
—ABC News, 13 Apr. 2026
The moon’s alignment with Pluto encourages you to confront the elephant in the room.
—Usa Today, USA Today, 11 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for elephant in the room
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Kalen Lumpkins, Chicago Tribune, 15 Apr. 2026
Courtenay Valenti, head of film at Amazon MGM Studios, address the elephant in the room right off.
—Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 15 Apr. 2026
The question is how much, if at all, executives from either company will address the elephant in the room from the stage as former 20th Century Fox Chair and CEO Stacey Snider did in 2018 with the Disney acquisition looming.
—ABC News, 13 Apr. 2026
The moon’s alignment with Pluto encourages you to confront the elephant in the room.
—Usa Today, USA Today, 11 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for 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 22 Apr. 2026.
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