ˈeləfənt ɪn ðə ruːm
Animals
neutral
intermediate
- Literally:
- A large elephant standing in a room
What does "elephant in the room" mean?
- An obvious problem or issue that everyone is aware of but no one wants to discuss
- A significant topic being deliberately ignored
Examples
- The elephant in the room is that we can't afford this project.
- Let's address the elephant in the room—the recent layoffs.
- Everyone saw the elephant in the room but nobody mentioned it.
Origin
First used in the New York Times in 1959 and became popular in the 1980s. The metaphor emphasizes that something as large as an elephant cannot truly be ignored, yet people pretend not to notice.
How to use it
Very common modern idiom for awkward unaddressed topics. Often used to introduce a difficult but necessary conversation.
Similar expressions
uncomfortable truth
unmentionable issue
taboo subject
Opposites
open discussion
addressed issue
Related idioms
- kill two birds with one stone
To accomplish two goals with a single action
- let the cat out of the bag
To reveal a secret accidentally
- don't count your chickens before they hatch
Don't assume success before it actually happens
- hold your horses
To wait and be patient
- fish out of water
Someone who feels awkward or uncomfortable in a particular situation
- the early bird gets the worm
Those who act first have the advantage
Use it in a practice answer
Try "elephant in the room" in a CELPIP-style Speaking or Writing task. The AI feedback tells you whether your word choice worked.