white elephant
noun
a possession unwanted by the owner but difficult to dispose of.
white elephants
-
pluralof white elephant.plural
The grammatical form denoting more than one person, place, thing, or idea.
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.
"Some of these minerals are finite and future generations may never see them. We do not want them to inherit white elephants," he told AFP.
From Barron's ● Jul. 26, 2026
Albino elephants are usually dubbed white elephants, symbols of good luck in several Southeast Asian cultures.
From Seattle Times ● Jul. 23, 2023
Rodriguez's office has identified 1,721 projects, so-called "white elephants" that are unfinished or in the process of being abandoned, and which are worth some 14 trillion pesos, he said.
From Reuters ● Mar. 7, 2023
Known as "white elephants," these expensive, world-class venues can fall into disrepair, taking up valuable space while draining local resources.
From Salon ● Nov. 27, 2022
"Yes, well, white elephants turn brown when they're shot, just as lobsters turn red when they're boiled."
From Poor Relations by Compton MacKenzie
