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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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. 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

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

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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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