ISEE/SSAT Vocabulary BuilderWordsEeuphemism
ISEE/SSAThard
euphemism
Meaning: a mild or indirect word used in place of a harsh or blunt one
euphemism in a sentence
How euphemism is used in real sentences:
Saying someone 'passed away' is a common euphemism for saying they died.
When the coach called the losing season 'a rebuilding year,' everyone knew it was really just a gentle euphemism for failure.
“Still, officials sometimes called a forced change an "adjustment," a euphemism that softened the blunt fact that families could awaken under a different flag.”
— from the passage Where the River Moved
Synonyms for euphemism
Other words for euphemism — genteelism — carry the same meaning.
- genteelism
Where it comes from
From Greek eu- 'good' + phemi 'speak'
Word parts
- eu — good, positive
euphemism: eu- (good) + phem (speaking)
Memory hook
EU (good) + PHEM (speak) — speaking about something unpleasant in a softer way.