white elephant
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Not even the banks know what to do with this gargantuan white elephant.
From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 9, 2025
Lord Forsyth described the project as "a complete white elephant and a disaster" and Leader of the House Baroness Smith of Basildon called the situation "unacceptable".
From BBC • Oct. 15, 2025
Aiming to avoid construction costs and potential white elephant venues, the IOC wanted Italy to use an existing track — with two nearby options in St. Moritz, Switzerland and Igls, Austria.
From Seattle Times • Feb. 23, 2024
This deed came about in the 1990s when Mr Trump said Mar-a-Lago was too expensive to be preserved as a private residence, calling it a "white elephant" that was "almost impossible to sell".
From BBC • Dec. 10, 2023
On the page, red diamond-covered trailers passed by first, and each one advertised its contents: roaring lions and tigers, charging rhinos and furious hippos, and a majestic white elephant at the very end.
From "The Marvellers" by Dhonielle Clayton
