What is the meaning of the expression ‘elephant in the room’?

If an elephant were standing in your room, it would be impossible to ignore it. When you say that a problem is an elephant in the room, you mean it is a very serious problem that everyone is aware of, but chooses to ignore. People try not to talk about it. Another expression which has the same meaning is ‘gorilla in the room’.

*Corruption. The elephant in the room that no politician is willing to talk about.

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“A fool and her money are soon courted.” — Helen Rowland