sacred cow

noun

: one that is often unreasonably immune from criticism or opposition

Examples of sacred cow in a Sentence

The old government program has become a sacred cow.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The meaning of the ick is different to everyone, and its amorphous nature makes for a softer work from Kahn, who has a penchant for taking on sacred cows. Stephen Saito, Variety, 13 Sep. 2024 Prohibitions on pay-for-play are the NCAA’s sacred cow. Joe Sabin, Forbes, 7 Sep. 2024 First impressions present several sacred cows that have been sacrificed in the name of progress: Porsche’s familiar left-hand key, famously introduced for running starts at Le Mans, has been swapped for a Start/Stop button. Basem Wasef, Robb Report, 9 July 2024 And while Fleet Street has a reputation for fuzzy ethics, that goes hand in hand with a reader-pleasing willingness to scorch sacred cows. Michael M. Grynbaum, New York Times, 8 June 2024 See all Example Sentences for sacred cow 

Word History

Etymology

from the veneration of the cow by Hindus

First Known Use

1910, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of sacred cow was in 1910

Dictionary Entries Near sacred cow

Cite this Entry

“Sacred cow.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sacred%20cow. Accessed 6 Dec. 2024.

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