elephant in the room

American  

[el-uh-fuhnt in thuh room, room] / ˈɛl ə fənt ɪn ðə ˈrum, ˈrʊm /

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.

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Etymology

Origin of elephant in the room

First recorded in 1935–40

Example Sentences

The elephant in the room: How did you get into a situation where you were carrying unsustainable credit-card debt, and how can you make sure that it doesn’t happen again?

From MarketWatch

At times, you could almost forget about the elephant in the room.

From Los Angeles Times

My answer is psychology—the psychology of the elephant in the room.

From The Wall Street Journal

“The elephant in the room remains the invisible AI strategy,” Ives wrote.

From Barron's

As for Apple, the “elephant in the room” is the company’s “invisible” AI strategy, according to Ives.

From MarketWatch