white elephants

noun

plural of white elephant
as in castaways

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Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for white elephants
  1. castaways
  2. rubbish
  3. seconds
Noun
  • Gilligan’s Island, American television sitcom about a group of castaways on a desert island and the chaos that ensues as their attempts at rescue are constantly thwarted.
    — Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 5 Aug. 2026
  • Supporters of the theory believe that Earhart and navigator Fred Noonan became stranded on the remote island after failing to reach Howland Island — possibly dying as castaways.
    — Andrea Margolis, FOXNews.com, 5 Aug. 2026
Definition of castaways
Noun
  • This comes at the expense of no movement in the wrist, but to be fair, having the lightsaber pointed in any other direction would look rubbish.
    — Matt Gardner, Forbes.com, 29 July 2026
  • Only construction waste will be accepted at the landfill such as, brush and rubbish, concrete, brick, rock, wood, paper, plastics, cardboard and roofing shingles and tiles.
    — Elizabeth Campbell, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 1 July 2026
Definition of rubbish
Noun
  • At that speed, even tiny particles produce bright streaks, often leaving glowing trails that persist for several seconds.
    — Jamie Carter, Forbes.com, 10 Aug. 2026
  • Some dialogues seem leisurely and inconsequential, while some major revelations are over in seconds.
    — Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of seconds
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.

Browse Nearby Words

white elephant
white elephants
white-faced
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Cite this Entry

“White elephants.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/white%20elephants. Accessed 16 Aug. 2026.

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