Richard Corliss

The exact meaning of irony is so narrow that the word is hardly worth using; in its broad, current definition, it's a euphemism for sarcasm. 'I'm not being sarcastic; I'm being ironic.' No, you're not. You're evading the responsibility for being sarcastic.

American Writer

Holly Black

In the older folklore, faeries were frightening beings. In fact, it was such a bad idea to get their attention that people would use flattering euphemisms for them, such as 'the people of peace,' 'the little people,' and 'the good neighbors.

Fred W. Friendly

A composite is a euphemism for a lie. It's disorderly. It's dishonest and it's not journalism.

American Producer

Meena Harris

I wrote 'Kamala and Maya's Big Idea' because I don't want my daughters to think in euphemisms.

American Lawyer

Andrea Dworkin

Women's fashion' is a euphemism for fashion created by men for women.

American Critic

Paul Johnson

Euphemism is a human device to conceal the horrors of reality.

British Journalist

Quentin Crisp

Euphemisms are unpleasant truths wearing diplomatic cologne.

English Writer

Jo Brand

British Comedian

Bobbie Gentry

American Musician

James Nesbitt

Irish Actor

Euphemisms are often culturally specific, be aware of local nuances.

Cultural Sensitivity

Use euphemisms to sound polite and avoid offending others.

Avoiding Offense

Euphemisms soften the impact of blunt or direct language.

Softening Statements

Euphemisms can alter perception, making something unpleasant seem more acceptable.

Perception Change

Euphemisms may hide the harsh truth and can be deliberately misleading.

Hidden Realities

Euphemisms are commonly used in discussions of taboo or sensitive subjects.

Sensitive Topics

 and they're getting no information about the insurgency. So they're going to put pressure on these soldiers, military police, to cross the line, give them permission to break the will of the enemy, to prepare them for interrogation, to soften them up, to take the gloves off. Those are the euphemisms, and this is how it was interpreted.

The psychology of evil PIPE...

 This is a drug called Tamiflu. Tamiflu is a drug which governments around the world have spent billions and billions of dollars on stockpiling, and we've stockpiled Tamiflu in panic, in the belief that it will reduce the rate of complications of influenza. Complications is a medical euphemism for pneumonia

What doctors don't know...

 is euphemism for smuggler so this town basically just revolves around smuggling and everybody knows it migrants go there they prepare themselves they hop on a bus drive down to the border and then walk into the desert if you go to the vendors in al thar they specialize in certain types of goods camouflage

Jason De León: Decoding...

 And we harvest those seeds, and those are the wheat kernels. Now, in order to harvest it -- I mean, what's harvesting? It's just a euphemism for killing, right? I mean, that's what's harvest -- we say we harvest the pig, you know? Yes, we slaughter, you know. Yes, that's life. We harvest the wheat,

Peter Reinhart: The art...

 I wanted answers to these questions but there was no one for me to ask. My mother knew nothing about menstruation except that it was dirty and shameful and I shouldn't talk about it. I asked girlfriends and everybody spoke in euphemisms. And finally, when I got the courage to go to the doctor

Why can't we talk about...

 That is true. And euphemisms don't work. Don't tell them Grandpa's gone to sleep or Grandpa's on a long trip. You want to be honest. So, OK, here we are in a new time. We're starting to come out of this pandemic, at least in some countries in the world.

David Kessler: How to...

 around the world have spent billions and billions of dollars on stockpiling and we've stockpiled Tamiflu in panic in the belief that it will reduce the rate of complications of influenza complications is a medical euphemism for pneumonia and death

 or making atrocities sound acceptable by burying them in euphemisms and convoluted sentence structures. But even more mundane abuses of language can affect the way we think about things. The words you see and hear in everyday advertising

What "Orwellian" really...

 supportive environments that make it just a little bit easier to be healthy then everybody wins it's a really important area to think about next always think about health not appearance this isn't a euphemism the outward

How to talk about weight...

 To kick the bucket, bite the dust, cash in your chips, check out, depart, expire, launch into eternity These are all euphemisms we use in humor