as in metaphor
a mild or pleasant word group of words that is used instead of one that is unpleasant or offensive
using "eliminate" as a euphemism for "kill" She spoke in euphemisms when recounting the expletive-laden tirade.
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Recent Examples of euphemism
This kind of shifting of meaning was called the euphemism cycle by linguist Sharon Henderson Taylor in 1974, and later renamed the euphemism treadmill by psycholinguist Stephen Pinker in 1994.
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Constance Grady, Vox, 7 Dec. 2018
But perhaps above all, the reforms were designed to give the government unfettered power to extend sovereignty—a euphemism for annexation—over the West Bank, a longtime goal of Israel’s far right.
—Dahlia Scheindlin, Foreign Affairs, 27 Sep. 2024
Horse manure containing alfalfa hay is an ideal medium for vermicomposting (vermis means worm in Latin), which yields worm castings (a euphemism for worm poop), the best soil amendment under the sun.
—Joshua Siskin, Orange County Register, 30 Aug. 2024
One of the most amazing things about mentally dwelling in this 1930s farming community for an hour every week is its society’s insistence on euphemism and/or silent implication.
—Alice Burton, Vulture, 21 Jan. 2024
See all Example Sentences for euphemism 
Constance Grady, Vox, 7 Dec. 2018
But perhaps above all, the reforms were designed to give the government unfettered power to extend sovereignty—a euphemism for annexation—over the West Bank, a longtime goal of Israel’s far right.
—Dahlia Scheindlin, Foreign Affairs, 27 Sep. 2024
Horse manure containing alfalfa hay is an ideal medium for vermicomposting (vermis means worm in Latin), which yields worm castings (a euphemism for worm poop), the best soil amendment under the sun.
—Joshua Siskin, Orange County Register, 30 Aug. 2024
One of the most amazing things about mentally dwelling in this 1930s farming community for an hour every week is its society’s insistence on euphemism and/or silent implication.
—Alice Burton, Vulture, 21 Jan. 2024
See all Example Sentences for euphemism
Recent Examples of Synonyms for euphemism
Noun
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There’s hardly any esoteric metaphors to be found in this far-reaching work.Daniel Cassady, ARTnews.com, 4 Nov. 2024
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In his first run for office, in 2018, Allred topped a crowded Democratic field and, in a surprise, beat an 11-term incumbent Republican to win the seat he’s held ever since. Bidding now for a second upset, Allred’s Senate campaign is mercifully short on football metaphors.Mark Z. Barabak, Los Angeles Times, 1 Nov. 2024
Noun
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Travel host Jo Franco shares four must-learn phrases in any foreign language to help you on your journey and sound more like a local.Andrew Torgan, CNN, 5 Nov. 2024
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Many today still market their tools as being able to steal bitcoin and have even introduced OCR to detect seed phrases in images.Joseph Cox, WIRED, 4 Nov. 2024
Noun
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The 47-year-old Simon, a BART board member since 2016, will enter her first congressional term in the wake of the Democratic Party’s disastrous losses in last week’s election.Chase Hunter, The Mercury News, 10 Nov. 2024
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Two days after the nation’s voters gave Donald Trump another term as president, Gov. Gavin Newsom staged a publicity stunt to position California — and presumably himself — as the epicenter of resistance.Dan Walters, Orange County Register, 9 Nov. 2024
Noun
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This brand of idiom deconstruction and crisp sound became a hallmark of Jones’ work from this point forward.A.D. Amorosi, Variety, 4 Nov. 2024
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One of its vegan standout idioms is the manakish flatbread with roasted tomato, Biber Salcasi pepper paste, Aleppo and mint.Kaila Yu, Forbes, 31 Oct. 2024
Thesaurus Entries Near euphemism
Cite this Entry
“Euphemism.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/euphemism. Accessed 22 Nov. 2024.
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