elephant in the room

[ el-uh-fuhnt inthuh-room, room ]

idiom
  1. a problem or issue that everyone is aware of but that no one wants to talk about: Her dad’s depression has been the elephant in the room at family gatherings.

Origin of elephant in the room

1
First recorded in 1935–40

Words Nearby elephant in the room

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024