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
Of course, some of those party guests already know each other, like Morgan, Sasha, and Esther, and the latter two bicker beforehand about how to best approach the Morgan-sized elephant in the room.
—
Kate Erbland, IndieWire, 24 Oct. 2025
Jenny has hooked up with Jonah again after a long, unexplained absence, and his presence is the elephant in the room.
—Damon Wise, Deadline, 22 Oct. 2025
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
See All Example Sentences for elephant in the room
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Kate Erbland, IndieWire, 24 Oct. 2025
Jenny has hooked up with Jonah again after a long, unexplained absence, and his presence is the elephant in the room.
—Damon Wise, Deadline, 22 Oct. 2025
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
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 30 Oct. 2025.
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