euphemism

noun

Definition of euphemismnext
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.

Related Words

Relevance

Dissimilar Words

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of euphemism The Execution Crisis Defined Rasmus Holst, CEO of Zensai, describes it without euphemism. — Connie Etemadi, USA Today, 9 June 2026 Willmett and Harris are clearly uninterested in euphemisms, so there’s an exaggerated naivety to their lyrics. — Alex Robert Ross, Pitchfork, 8 June 2026 The most expensive queries are throttled or downgraded, which is usually a euphemism for a degraded user experience. — Ben Gutkovich, Forbes.com, 21 May 2026 Later, in a moment of high anxiety when Rafael is catching a beating, Sebastián will run to the bathroom to play his trumpet (not just a euphemism). — Sophie Monks Kaufman, IndieWire, 21 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for euphemism
Recent Examples of Synonyms for euphemism
  1. metaphor
  2. phrase
  3. term
Noun
  • Or obliterate the self—dying of shame is not always a metaphor.
    — Eugenie Brinkema, ARTnews.com, 17 Oct. 2026
  • Bogs are metaphors for situations that interfere with you and your goals.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of metaphor
Noun
  • Zest has also been referred to as vitality, exuberance, and joie de vivre, the French phrase for the joy of living.
    — Joan M. Cook, Time, 17 Oct. 2026
  • That sudden ascent, for a band spiritually in league with the Velvet Underground and Suicide, led some to wonder what exactly happened behind the social media scenes to get them there (one conspiratorial phrase got thrown around in particular).
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of phrase
Noun
  • Peltola, who represented Alaska's at-large district from 2022 to 2025, is challenging Sullivan, a two-term incumbent.
    — Matthew Choi The Washington Post, Arkansas Online, 17 Oct. 2026
  • The presentation at Aspen was a shipwreck, but somehow the term made it to shore.
    — Jeff DeGraff, Fortune, 17 Oct. 2026
Definition of term

Browse Nearby Words

eupeptic
euphemism
euphemisms
See all Nearby Words

Podcast

Cite this Entry

“Euphemism.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/euphemism. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of compunction

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'Can' vs. 'May'

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

More Commonly Mispronounced Words

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Did 'orange' the fruit or the color come first?

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
artwork of illustrated limes with the text limes and smile with an arrow connecting the two words
Quiz: Spot the Anagram! Scramble these words to find new words with the e...
See All