WordValeelephant in the room
an obvious problem no one wants to discuss
In more detail
(idiom) an obvious problem or difficult subject that people avoid talking about because it is uncomfortable or embarrassing
Examples
- Everyone knew about the company's financial problems, but it was the elephant in the room that nobody wanted to discuss at the meeting.
How to use elephant in the room
This idiom describes a glaring, obvious issue that exists in a situation but that people deliberately avoid discussing due to discomfort, embarrassment, or social sensitivity. It is used in both formal and informal contexts to call attention to an unspoken tension. Unlike 'taboo subject', it emphasizes the obviousness and avoidance simultaneously rather than just the forbidden nature of the topic.
Common phrases
- address the elephant in the room
- ignore the elephant in the room
- there's an elephant in the room
- the elephant in the room is
- acknowledge the elephant in the room
Synonyms
touchy subject · taboo topic · sensitive issue · unmentionable problem · awkward truth
A common mistake
Learners sometimes use this idiom to mean simply a 'difficult problem' without capturing the key element of deliberate avoidance or the uncomfortable silence surrounding it.
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