euphemism
noun
the substitution of a mild, indirect, or vague expression for one thought to be offensive, harsh, or blunt.
euphemistic
-
a word derived from
euphemism.
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.
Earlier this month, three data centers in western Russia suddenly went dark due to a “rapid unplanned disassembly,” to use euphemistic engineering parlance.
From Salon ● Oct. 15, 2026
Even former president Tsai was careful to refer to China in euphemistic terms like “the other side of the strait” or “the Beijing authorities”.
From BBC ● May 23, 2024
Translating this phrase too literally into English blunts its violence, making it sound old-fashioned or euphemistic when Ovid’s language is neither.
From Washington Post ● Nov. 8, 2022
Mr. Trump also described in his interviews with Mr. Woodward how he would taunt the North Korean leader with a euphemistic warning about their respective nuclear arsenals.
From New York Times ● Oct. 18, 2022
I couldn’t shake the feeling that we were both thinking of all the different meanings behind that euphemistic phrase.
From "From Twinkle, with Love" by Sandhya Menon
