Meaning of white elephant | Babel Free

Definitions

1. A possession that is unwanted or is a financial burden; an unprofitable investment.
   figuratively
2. Clipping of white elephant exchange.
   abbreviation, alt-of, clipping
3. Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see white, elephant.

Equivalents

Examples

“South Australia's "white elephant" was really going to prove a valuable possession after all!”

“Some of the stadiums being built for the World Cup soccer tournament, scheduled for next year, have also been criticized for delays and cost overruns, and have become subjects of derision as protesters question whether they will become white elephants.”

“In your story about Chinese success, you spend a lot of time on the shadow side of these big projects. Some of these projects look like white elephants. They look like airports built when there aren’t enough people flying or apartment blocks built that lots of people don’t want to live in.”

CEFR level