euphemize

verb

eu·​phe·​mize ˈyü-fə-ˌmīz How to pronounce euphemize (audio)
euphemized; euphemizing

transitive verb

: to express or describe euphemistically
euphemize death
euphemizer noun

Example Sentences

Recent Examples on the Web Remembering is dangerous when attachments are so tenuous; better to isolate, to distance or to euphemize. David L. Ulin, Los Angeles Times, 20 May 2021 And if a real crisis happens, as with Central Americans flooding through the southern border, euphemize it as someone else’s mess. Daniel Henninger, WSJ, 17 Mar. 2021 First on the docket is hair loss (euphemized on its site as a bonsai tree shedding its leaves), with a $44-a-month box that includes DHT shampoo, a Minoxidil dropper, and Finasteride pills. Grant Rindner, Esquire, 6 Dec. 2017 In 1944, a Warner Bros. cartoon euphemized World War II through Bugs Bunny and ice cream. Matt Siegel, The Atlantic, 6 Aug. 2017 The sexual content is similarly euphemized, in dances charmingly choreographed by Nejla Yatkin and in a few shirtless cuddles that suggest romance more than predation. Jesse Green, New York Times, 25 May 2017

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'euphemize.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

euphem(ism) + -ize

First Known Use

1857, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of euphemize was in 1857

Dictionary Entries Near euphemize

Cite this Entry

“Euphemize.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/euphemize. Accessed 31 Mar. 2023.

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