elephant in the room

[el-uh-fuhnt in thuh 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.

Word History and Origins

Origin of elephant in the room¹

First recorded in 1935–40

Example Sentences

Even if the Fed cuts interest rates several more times, it won’t address the elephant in the room: tariffs.

Read more on MarketWatch

New Wales rugby coach Steve Tandy accepts he cannot avoid the "elephant in the room", with the domestic game in chaos and the threat of a players' strike still a possibility.

Read more on Barron's

His absence is the elephant in the room at a club still coming to terms with the absence of the 28-year-old Portugal international.

Read more on Barron's

Once I decided on indexes, the elephant in the room was allocation.

Read more on Barron's

"The elephant in the room is that, in those tournaments, there were other teams who were simply better than us," said former goalkeeper David James on BBC Radio 5 Live.

Read more on BBC