THE IDIOM COLLECTION LEARN & PRACTISE
Elephant in the room
Understand the meaning. See it in context. Make it yours.
01 / UNDERSTAND
Meaning in plain English
A big problem that everyone ignores.
Usage note: keep in mind
The elephant in the room is an obvious important issue that people avoid discussing, often because it is uncomfortable. Use the definite article the. A hidden problem that nobody knows about is different: awareness and avoidance are central to this expression.
02 / SEE IT IN CONTEXT
The expression in a sentence
- The budget deficit was the elephant in the room during the meeting.
03 / CHECK YOUR UNDERSTANDING
Quick idiom quiz
Try the question without looking back, then write a sentence of your own. You can retry as often as you like.
0 of 1 checked correctly
Can you recall the expression?
Complete the example using the expression from this lesson.
The budget deficit was the ________ during the meeting.
Show the answer
Elephant in the room — A big problem that everyone ignores.
Try your own sentence (optional)
Make it yours
Write one sentence using “Elephant in the room” about your own life.
Check your sentence
Does your sentence match this meaning?
A big problem that everyone ignores.
Compare: The budget deficit was the elephant in the room during the meeting.
Check the spelling and how the expression fits the sentence. Your example can be different.
Self-review only. Your sentence is not automatically marked, saved or submitted.
This quiz is for practice. To save lesson completion on this device, complete the checks in the app.
GO DEEPER
More ways to understand and use it
Jump to a section
More examples in context
- The falling budget was the elephant in the room during the planning meeting.
- Let's address the elephant in the room: the two departments disagree about who owns the project.
Check your understanding
A problem is widely known but nobody mentions it. Why does the idiom fit better than for a completely unknown problem?
Check your answer
The group is aware of the issue and is avoiding it. The expression depends on that shared awareness, not just on the problem being large.
Use it in your own words
Write one new situation where elephant in the room fits. Explain the situation in plain English first, then rewrite it using the expression. Check that the tone and meaning suit your audience.