Meanings
Likely US origin, or possibly from Ivan Andreevich Krylov's 1814 fable, The Inquisitive Man, which tells of a man going to a museum and noticing all sorts of things apart from an elephant.[1]
How to pronounce "elephant in the room":
AU
A problem or difficult issue that is very obvious, but is ignored for the convenience or comfort of those involved.
Example Sentences
1
Everyone at the party knew that Jack had been fired, but no one mentioned the elephant in the room.
2
During the meeting, no one brought up the issue of the pending layoffs, which was the elephant in the room.
3
The family avoided discussing Aunt Linda's recent divorce, leaving the elephant in the room unaddressed.
4
The tension between the two coworkers was the elephant in the room that everyone could feel but no one wanted to acknowledge.
5
Despite their obvious differences, the couple tried to ignore the elephant in the room and keep up appearances.
