euphemism
noun
eu·phe·mism
| \ ˈyü-fə-ˌmi-zəm
\
\
Definition of euphemism
: the substitution of an agreeable or inoffensive expression for one that may offend or suggest something unpleasant
also
: the expression so substituted
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Other Words from euphemism
euphemist
\ ˈyü-fə-mist
\
noun
\
noun
euphemistic
\ ˌyü-fə-ˈmi-stik
\
adjective
\
adjective
euphemistically
\ ˌyü-fə-ˈmi-sti-k(ə-)lē
\
adverb
\
adverb
Examples of euphemism in a Sentence
Cougar is the euphemism for a woman who has reached mid-life, who is single, financially secure and on the lookout for relationships with younger men—as in "prey."
— Kerry Gold, Vancouver Sun, 17 Feb. 2001
Spin is sometimes dismissed as a simple euphemism for lying. But it's actually something more insidious: indifference to the truth.
— Michael Kinsley, Time, 25 Dec. 2000–1 Jan. 2001
"Invigorating" is the euphemism we use most often to describe the chilly waters off the coast, but knowledgeable Maine boaters know where to find the warmer, tidal waters just right for a midsummer dip.
— Ken Textor, Down East, August 2001
If you are "let go," "separated," "terminated" or whatever euphemism the company uses for "clean-out-your-desk-and-be-gone," remember that you do have rights.
— Elsie Maclay, First for Women, July 1989
using “eliminate” as a euphemism for “kill”
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Recent Examples on the Web
Wojnarowski used creative euphemisms to technically avoid tipping the 2018 NBA draft picks. — Emily Caron, SI.com, "Report: ESPN's Adrian Wojarowski to Tip NBA Draft Night Picks on Twitter," 19 June 2019 Using euphemisms to cover for atrocities is the essence of the banality of evil. — Anna Lind-guzik, Vox, "I’m a Jewish historian. Yes, we should call border detention centers “concentration camps.”," 20 June 2019 Contrary to popular belief, National Rosé Day is not just a euphemism for every single day, all summer long. — refinery29.com, "The Best Ways To Celebrate National Rosé Day In NYC," 1 June 2018 This is done under the euphemism of economic development. — WSJ, "Good for Amazon, Good for Local Taxpayers?," 18 Nov. 2018 Though that sounds like a euphemism, the field of medical genetics conducted itself as if toxic information was a literal phenomenon for years, and many in the field still do. — Rob Reid, Ars Technica, "Ars on your lunch break: Robert Green on what darkness lurks in our DNA," 17 July 2018 Death until recently was often a conversational taboo, dark fodder for goth sites, maybe, but otherwise invoked discreetly, if at all, in spirit-soothing euphemisms. — Ruth La Ferla, New York Times, "Outing Death," 10 Jan. 2018 And, no, hen isn’t a euphemism for a fertile female. — Lorraine Ali, latimes.com, "About Disneyland's Pirates of the Caribbean bride auction redo and why people hate it and love it," 14 June 2018 White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders replied at her briefing later in the day, using a euphemism to refer to the president’s own lawyer. — James Hohmann, Washington Post, "The Daily 202: Rudy Giuliani is repeating seven mistakes that brought down previous Trump advisers," 7 May 2018These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'euphemism.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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More Definitions for euphemism
euphemism
noun
English Language Learners Definition of euphemism
: a mild or pleasant word or phrase that is used instead of one that is unpleasant or offensive
See the full definition for euphemism in the English Language Learners Dictionary
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