Idiom
the elephant in the room
Meanings
A very obvious problem or sensitive topic that people avoid mentioning.
Definition
An obvious problem or topic that everyone notices but avoids talking about.
“The elephant in the room” refers to a big issue that is clearly present but people pretend not to see or discuss. It is often used for uncomfortable topics like conflict, money, health, or politics. The phrase suggests that avoiding the subject makes the situation more awkward or harder to solve.
Examples
- We need to talk about the elephant in the room: our budget is running out.
- At dinner, the elephant in the room was their recent breakup.
- Everyone knew layoffs were coming, but the elephant in the room stayed unmentioned.
- The elephant in the room is that the project is months behind schedule.
Common mistake
Learners sometimes change the phrase to “elephant of the room” or “elephant in room,” but the fixed form is “the elephant in the room.”
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