euphemism

American  

[yoo-fuh-miz-uhm] / ˈju fəˌmɪz əm /

noun

euphemisms plural

1. the substitution of a mild, indirect, or vague expression for one thought to be offensive, harsh, or blunt.

2. the expression so substituted.

   “To pass away” is a euphemism for “to die.”

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euphemism British  

/ ˈjuːfɪˌmɪzəm /

noun

1. an inoffensive word or phrase substituted for one considered offensive or hurtful, esp one concerned with religion, sex, death, or excreta. Examples of euphemisms are sleep with for have sexual intercourse with; departed for dead; relieve oneself for urinate

2. the use of such inoffensive words or phrases

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euphemism Cultural  

1. An agreeable word or expression substituted for one that is potentially offensive, often having to do with bodily functions, sex, or death; for example, rest room for toilet, lady of the evening for prostitute. The Nazis used euphemism in referring to their plan to murder the world's Jews (see also Jews) as “the Final Solution.”

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• euphemist
  noun
• euphemious
  adjective
• euphemistic
  adjective
• euphemistical
  adjective
• uneuphemistic
  adjective
• uneuphemistical
  adjective
• euphemiously
  adverb
• euphemistically
  adverb
• uneuphemistically
  adverb

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• euphemisms
  plural

Etymology

Origin of euphemism

First recorded in 1650–60; from Greek euphēmismós “use of words of good omen,” from eu- eu- + phḗm(ē) “speaking, fame” + -ismos -ism

Explanation

Pardon me, but when a polite term is substituted for a blunt, offensive one, you should call it a euphemism. Euphemism is from Greek euphemismos, meaning "good speech," and it's a way that we paper over uncomfortable things with more pleasant-sounding words. These days we tend to use euphemisms when talking about anything having to do with elimination of bodily waste: toilet, bathroom, and water closet were all originally euphemisms. The military is also notorious for using euphemisms, like saying "neutralizing the target" instead of "killing someone."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

euphemism euphemisms

Musk justified the "rapid unscheduled disassembly" of these rockets, to use the entrepreneur's favorite euphemism for explosions, by saying they were part of the learning process.

From Barron's ● Jun. 12, 2026

That’s great, but do we really need so much euphemism?

From Salon ● May 8, 2026

And fundament is an old euphemism for “buttocks.”

From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 7, 2026

It comes just weeks after Zhang was removed from his post, after he was accused of "serious violations of discipline and law" - typically a euphemism for corruption.

From BBC ● Feb. 26, 2026

“Is Mercury Home the new euphemism for ‘trailer’?”

From "Internment" by Samira Ahmed

He was resented for puncturing euphemisms of communal self-regard.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 30, 2025

In one of the film’s most charged moments, Peck turns Orwell’s warning about political language into a montage of modern euphemisms: “peacekeeping operations,” “collateral damage,” “illegals” — and then, pointedly, “antisemitism 2024.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 7, 2025

They use euphemisms online to communicate the things they are not supposed to mention.

From New York Times ● Jun. 4, 2024

What first clued me in to the remarkable frequency with which complaints about men’s cleanliness appear on Reddit was repeatedly encountering one of the most awfully evocative euphemisms in the English language: skid mark.

From Slate ● May 17, 2024

I could offer to draw the curtains but I know she’s speaking in euphemisms; no amount of drawn curtains could make my room presentable for the subscribers to Bell System.

From "The Brightwood Code" by Monica Hesse