Euphemism, Meaning, Definition and Examples

Table of Contents

Euphemism Meaning in English

When unpleasant or rude words are replaced with pleasing or neutral ones, this is known as a euphemism.

Euphemisms are frequently employed to minimise the effect of unwelcome news or to facilitate tough conversations. In politics, business, and difficult conversations, they are frequently employed (e.g., discussions about death or sex).

Euphemism Meaning and Definition

Euphemisms are words or phrases that can be used to convey unpleasant, depressing, or prohibited information. It is the art of saying things in a way that is less obnoxious, lighter, or in a more subtle way.

You may be able to better grasp the term euphemism by looking at how different dictionaries define it. Euphemisms are described as “an indirect word or phrase that people frequently use to refer to something uncomfortable or unpleasant, sometimes to make it appear more acceptable than it actually is” in the Oxford Learner’s Dictionary. Euphemism is defined as “a term or phrase used to avoid speaking an unpleasant or insulting word” by the Cambridge Dictionary.

According to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, euphemism is defined as “the substitution of an agreeable or inoffensive expression for one that may offend or suggest something unpleasant.” The Collins Dictionary defines euphemism as “a polite word or expression that is used to refer to things which people may find upsetting or embarrassing to talk about.”

How to use Euphemism in sentences?

It’s usually helpful to have multiple ways to convey any given piece of information. Nobody is ever forced to deal with only good things. There will occasionally be terrible incidents and undesirable thoughts to discuss. You should develop the ability to present even awful ideas in a pleasant and acceptable way. You should also become familiar with euphemisms because they make you sound more worried about other people or recent events. When employing euphemisms, it’s essential to keep in mind that they’re not meant to be ironic. Before using any euphemism in your writing, you should also make it a point to comprehend what it implies.

Euphemism Examples

Here are a few instances of sentences that make use of euphemisms. Examine them and make an effort to understand their purpose.

His great-grandfather passed away last week.
It is so unfortunate that we have to let you go.
Sandra seems to be between jobs.
The collateral damage that resulted from the war was saddening.
We have a differently-abled man working as security.
We got to know that the family was on the streets, and so we are trying to help them in every way possible.
Shankar belongs to a well-to-do family.
The company has been facing negative cash flow for the past few years.
Devan’s grandmother seems to be enjoying her golden years happily and peacefully.
Rory was planning to go over to her parent’s house to break the news of the bun in the oven.

Euphemism Examples Sentences

For your reference, the most common euphemisms examples sentences used in everyday conversation are included in the following table along with their definitions. Look into it.

Euphemism	Meaning	Euphemism	Meaning
Well-to-do	Rich	Well-off	Rich
On the streets	Homeless	Between jobs	Unemployed
Bun in the oven	Pregnant	Negative cash flow	Having debts
Golden years	Old age	Differently-abled	Not possessing normal physical, mental and psychological abilities
Let one go	To fire someone	Big-boned	Fat or large
Curvy	Fat	Well-fed	Overweight
Pre-owned	Used by someone else	Lay off	To fire someone
Hearing-impaired	Used to refer to someone who is completely or partially deaf	Speech-impaired	Used to refer to someone who has speech-related issues
Telling stories	Refers to the act of lying	Tell tales	Refers to the act of gossiping or speaking about another person’s actions.
Lose your lunch	Vomit	Pass away	To die
Collateral damage	Refers to the damage done as a result of war, including deaths and injuries	Not the sharpest pencil in the box	Refer to the quality of being stupid
Lost one’s marbles	To refer to someone who is diagnosed/suffering from mental illness	Physically challenged	Used to refer to someone who is handicapped
Mentally challenged	Used to refer to someone who is partially or completely mentally abnormal	Over the hill	Used to refer to someone who is old
Armed intervention	Refers to a military attack	Lost someone	Used to refer to someone’s death
Put to sleep	Euthanise/Refers to the act of mercy killing	A bit under the weather	Used to imply that someone is sick
Couch potato	Used to refer to someone who is lazy	Late bloomer	Used to refer to someone who takes time to understand and learn
Running a little behind	To refer to being late	Outspoken	Used to refer to someone who is bossy and controlling
Overzealous	To refer to someone who is aggressive	Donning the fedora	Stepping out of one’s comfort zone as far as fashion is concerned
Adult beverages	Used to refer to liquor	Underprivileged	To refer to people who are poor
High-rolling	Used to refer to someone who spends money lavishly and thoughtlessly / a spendthrift	Down-and-out	Used to refer to a person who is completely out of money, has no job or a place to stay
A little thin on top	Used to refer to someone who is bald or going bald	To be in the bread lines	Used to refer to people who are so poor that they have to depend on food donations to survive
Whips and jungles	Refers to nervousness and depression	A bit down in the dumps	Used to refer to the state of being unhappy or depressed
To get off the deep end	Used to refer to an emotional outburst, mostly due to anger, resulting in extremely strange behaviour	Blow a fuse	Used to refer to the action of losing one’s temper
To blow a gasket	To become very angry	Visually impaired	Used to refer to someone who is partially or completely blind

Euphemism Meaning FAQs

Que. What do you mean by Euphemism?

Ans. Euphemisms are words or phrases that can be used to convey unpleasant, depressing or prohibited information. It is the art of saying things in a way that is a less harsh, lighter, or more subtle way.

Que. Why should we use Euphemisms?

Ans. The basic purpose of euphemism is to make something appear or sound less difficult or unpleasant than it actually is. It can be utilised to convey to your audience your sincere concern for the subject at hand.

Que. What are some examples of Euphemism?

Ans. Some examples of Euphemisms are given below

His great-grandfather passed away last week.
It is so unfortunate that we have to let you go.
Sandra seems to be between jobs.
The collateral damage that resulted from the war was saddening.

Que. Is euphemism an offensive word?

Ans. The Collins Dictionary defines euphemism as “a polite word or expression that is used to refer to things which people may find upsetting or embarrassing to talk about.”

Que. What does euphemistic mean?

Ans. Euphemistic means to use a word or phrase in order to avoid paying a more unpleasant or offensive word.