Trivia Time

Which author is widely credited for giving us the idea of the elephant in the room?

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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

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

elephant in the room

Possibly he thought it would be an elephant in the room when he was doing his act.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 19, 2026

The banks also addressed the elephant in the room, about how AI agents that the banks are helping finance could end up eating away at their deposit business.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 14, 2026

There’s an elephant in the room in every scene, and its lens follows the subject everywhere.

From Salon ● Jul. 24, 2026

"It's sort of the elephant in the room surrounding the company," said Nelson.

From Barron's ● Jul. 22, 2026

I want us to have history, something longer than the small window of time we’re actually sharing, with an even longer future, but the dying elephant in the room crushes me.

From "They Both Die at the End" by Adam Silvera

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