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elephant in the room

American

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

idiom

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.

Etymology

Origin of elephant in the room

First recorded in 1935–40

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

The Hollywood Reporter said the feature "delivers for lifelong fans who cherish the music", but the Telegraph noted that it "refuses to address the elephant in the room".

From BBC • Jun. 29, 2026

Perhaps universities will address the elephant in the room: Student cheating is rampant, and it is the fault of the faculty.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 25, 2026

But no one could ignore the elephant in the room.

From Barron's • May 19, 2026

Sometimes, the letter writer may be asking the wrong question about the right problem, or they could be ignoring the elephant in the room.

From MarketWatch • May 11, 2026

I still hadn’t told Howard I was sorry for what I said about his up-down walk, so there was always a big ole elephant in the room for me.

From "Wish" by Barbara O'Connor

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023