WordValesacred cow
an idea treated as beyond criticism
In more detail
(idiom) a person, idea, or institution that is greatly respected and protected from criticism, even though it may not deserve to be
Examples
- Free healthcare is treated as a sacred cow in many European countries.
How to use sacred cow
Sacred cow is an idiom used figuratively to describe something (person, institution, idea, or tradition) that is treated as immune from criticism or change, often irrationally. It carries the implication that the reverence may be unwarranted or outdated. The phrase is common in political, social, and cultural discourse when discussing entrenched beliefs or protected interests.
Common phrases
- challenge a sacred cow
- question a sacred cow
- sacred cow of society
- treat something as a sacred cow
- protect a sacred cow
Synonyms
untouchable · taboo subject · holy grail · protected institution · venerated figure
Opposites
fair game · open target
A common mistake
Learners sometimes use this to refer literally to actual cattle or Hindu religious practices, losing the critical-commentary sense of the idiom. It should be used only as a metaphor for protected ideas or institutions.
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