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Idioms & Expressions
The elephant in the room
Used when acknowledging unspoken issues in group discussions.
Literal Meaning
A large gray mammal with a trunk, often found in the wild or in captivity; can be indoors
Actual Meaning
An obvious problem no one wants to discuss
Examples in Context

'Let's address the elephant in the room.' (Translation: Let's talk about the obvious issue)

Helpful Tips
  • 1Obvious but avoided
  • 2Uncomfortable topic
  • 3Needs addressing
Phrase Thesaurus
Similar words and synonyms for this phrase
unspoken issue
hidden problem
obvious concern
taboo topic
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