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
None of the elephants in the room will be ignored at the fourth edition of the Venice Sustainable Fashion Forum, the yearly summit aimed at unpacking the ongoing eco-journey for the fashion and textile sector.
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Martino Carrera, Footwear News, 7 Oct. 2025
Recently, Nick Saban addressed the elephant in the room about Jones' tenure in New England, explaining that the organization did not put Jones in a position to succeed.
—Reice Shipley, MSNBC Newsweek, 6 Oct. 2025
That gap, between a vibe that was invariably described as immaculate in 2024 and one that resonated at a different wavelength in 2025, is the elephant in the room for these Mets.
—Tim Britton, New York Times, 29 Sep. 2025
Yeah, why not address the elephant in the room?
—Chris Willman, Variety, 28 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for elephant in the room
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Martino Carrera, Footwear News, 7 Oct. 2025
Recently, Nick Saban addressed the elephant in the room about Jones' tenure in New England, explaining that the organization did not put Jones in a position to succeed.
—Reice Shipley, MSNBC Newsweek, 6 Oct. 2025
That gap, between a vibe that was invariably described as immaculate in 2024 and one that resonated at a different wavelength in 2025, is the elephant in the room for these Mets.
—Tim Britton, New York Times, 29 Sep. 2025
Yeah, why not address the elephant in the room?
—Chris Willman, Variety, 28 Sep. 2025
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 16 Oct. 2025.
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