Sneaky words

How we’ve lied to ourselves: 10 euphemisms through time

Image: Jametlene Reskp

Euphemisms—those gentler, sometimes sneaky ways of saying uncomfortable truths—have existed for centuries. From avoiding taboos to sidestepping authority, these linguistic workarounds reveal just as much about human history as they do about language. Here are 10 curious euphemisms people have used through time to soften the blow.

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Car dealerships began using "pre-owned" in the 1980s to make used cars sound more appealing.

It’s a marketing euphemism that implies care and quality rather than wear and tear. The term now appears in many industries beyond cars, like fashion and tech.

Image: Nick Fewings

Instead of saying someone was fired, companies began saying employees were "let go" by the mid-1900s.

The term gained popularity with the rise of HR departments, which adopted softer, more legally neutral language. It's now common in business communication to avoid confrontation.

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"Senior citizen" first appeared in U.S. government documents in the 1930s and caught on with the creation of Social Security.

It added respectability to aging, shifting the public perception from decline to entitlement. Marketers also began using the term to appeal to older consumers without causing offense.

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This phrase came into use in the early 20th century, especially in households and media where bodily functions were taboo.

It's rooted in the Victorian habit of avoiding any mention of digestion or excretion. Even children's books adopted it to teach manners.

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There is nothing "friendly" about friendly fire. Used in military reports as early as World War II, "friendly fire" described tragic errors in combat.

The euphemism helps frame such incidents as blameless or unfortunate rather than negligent. It remains a standard term in NATO and Pentagon communications.

Image: Brian Wertheim

In a very British manner, the phrase was popularized by a government lawyer during the 1986 Spycatcher trial. It implies a partial or misleading truth—that is to say, a lie.

It has since become a political catchphrase in the English-speaking world. It softens accusations while still signaling dishonesty.

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Used by the military and intelligence agencies, especially during the Cold War, to obscure lethal actions.

The word likely became popular because it provided operational vagueness without the emotional weight of the actual deed. The phrase remains common in drone and covert operation briefings.

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The term "expecting" goes back to the 18th century and offered a modest way to mention pregnancy without referencing any bodily function.

It became standard among the middle and upper classes during times when discussing pregnancy openly was frowned upon.

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The phrase "passed away" emerged in the 15th century as a softer alternative to "died," linked to Christian ideas of entering the afterlife. A similar shift occurred with "departed," which has religious and poetic roots, implying a journey rather than an end.

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This phrase gained traction during economic downturns in the 1970s and ’80s, especially among white-collar workers.

It helped individuals maintain dignity and optimism during job searches. The euphemism is still widely used in professional networking.

The "Ancient Astronaut Theory"

Truth or hoax? 12 human creations attributed to aliens

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The world harbors some impressive relics of past eras, artifacts that seem anachronistically advanced for the times in which they were created. For this reason, some theorists have suggested that the achievements of the Egyptian Empire, prehistoric Japan, and ancient Mesoamerican civilizations were influenced by extraterrestrial forces. While it's entertaining to wonder if aliens have visited Earth, in this article, we will debunk some theories that claim these 12 huge human achievements were not of terrestrial origin.

Image: Cazz, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Over the centuries, certain artworks depicting enigmatic figures have contributed to the rise of the "Ancient Astronaut Theory." This hypothesis suggests that in ancient times, extraterrestrial beings visited prehistoric humans, possibly interacting with them and sharing knowledge.

Examples like the Wandjina rock art in Australia's Kimberley region, and an image of two figures in the Val Camonica site in Italy that resemble present-day astronauts, fueled the alien landing theory. However, academics and archaeologists characterize these claims as pseudoarchaeological or unscientific. Some authors also argue that these theories are used to diminish the achievements and abilities of indigenous cultures.

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It is common knowledge that with its enormous stones dating past 2400 BC, the purpose and construction methods of Stonehenge have long been contested. While it is widely accepted that ancient humans built the monument, proponents of the Ancient Astronaut Theory argue that the precise alignment of the stones suggests an advanced understanding of astronomical events, specifically, the ability to predict eclipses.

According to these theorists, this ability wouldn't have been possible without extraterrestrial influence. Mainstream archaeologists and astronomers, however, believe this knowledge existed among the early inhabitants of this area and was passed down from generation to generation.

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Teotihuacan, whose name means "the place where the gods were created," is a vast ancient city in Mexico built more than 2,000 years ago, centuries before the rise of the Aztec Empire. The site is renowned for its architecturally significant pyramids, such as the Pyramid of the Sun and the Pyramid of the Moon.

With its well-preserved murals, fine obsidian tools, transportation system, and evidence of advanced agricultural practices, Teotihuacan is often viewed as more technologically developed than it was considered to be possible during its epoch. Although the city’s size and complexity make it seem somewhat otherworldly, it is undoubtedly a human creation.

Image: Laura Ockel

This mechanism is a clocklike instrument from around 85 BC, discovered in 1900 near the Greek island of Antikythera. Believed to have been used aboard ships as a navigation tool to accurately predict eclipses and the location of the sun and other celestial bodies. Although comparable technology did not reappear until the 14th century, this device is widely considered the oldest known example of an analog computer.

Because of the precision involved in its construction, UFO enthusiasts have regarded the Antikythera Mechanism as evidence of alien contact. However, ancient Greek literature mentions artifacts like this with no references to otherworldly visitors.

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Like many other megalithic sites around the world, the enigmas surrounding the moai, a set of huge stone figures on Easter Island, have long sparked curiosity and speculation. How is it possible that the Rapa Nui people were able to carve and transport these 13-foot-tall statues, each weighing up to 14 tons, more than 1,000 years ago?

The reasons why the moai were created are mysterious. Many may think they are the result of an alien encounter, but it is more likely that they were built for religious or ritual reasons. What remains uncertain is the fate of the artisans responsible for these statues. The main theory suggests the Rapa Nui civilization suffered a severe ecological collapse, likely caused by deforestation and overuse of natural resources.

Image: Metropolitan Museum of Art, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons

Dogū are small humanoid clay figurines created during Japan’s prehistoric Jōmon period. Their distinctive appearance—featuring large eyes, exaggerated limbs, and ornate detailing—has led some Ancient Astronaut theorists to speculate that they resemble beings in space suits, complete with goggles and armor.

However, archaeologists have long noted that the figures' eye shapes closely resemble Inuit snow goggles, a design meant to reduce glare from sunlight on snow. While the precise function of dogū remains uncertain, their pronounced hips, buttocks, and breasts suggest they were likely used in fertility-related rituals or symbolic practices.

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The Nazca Lines are a collection of hundreds of ancient geoglyphs etched into the desert plains of southern Peru. Some span more than 600 feet and are best viewed from the air, depicting animals, birds, fish, human figures, and various geometric shapes.

Ancient Astronaut theorists speculate that ancient Peruvians were trying to communicate with creatures capable of interstellar travel. Scientists, for their part, have claimed the drawings indicate ceremonial or ritual sites related to water and fertility, key concerns in the arid Nazca region. Also, historians have since replicated similar geoglyphs using primitive techniques without aerial assistance.

Image: Dawoud Khalil Messiha, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

The ancient Egyptian civilization was remarkably advanced for its time. In 1898, archaeologists discovered a small wooden artifact in a tomb at Saqqara, now known as the Saqqara Bird. Made of sycamore wood and shaped like a bird, it has been cited by Ancient Astronaut theorists as potential evidence of early knowledge of flight.

These enthusiasts claim that the figurine’s vertical tail resembles the tail of an aircraft. The lack of legs and the wings’ angle has even led them to conjecture that the artifact is evidence of the Egyptians' knowledge of aerodynamics. Far from being influenced by space creatures, modern scientific studies suggest the Saqqara Bird is either a religious relic or even just a simple children's toy.

Image: Olek95, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

According to many UFO enthusiasts, the Temple of Seti I at Abydos, Egypt, contains what they claim is definitive proof of advanced ancient technology. Some of the hieroglyphs appear to resemble a helicopter, a jet plane, and even a flying saucer.

However, scholars explain that these glyphs are the result of a palimpsest—a layering of two inscriptions from different time periods. Over time, erosion and the gradual flaking of plaster have caused the superimposed carvings to create ambiguous shapes. What some interpret as a "helicopter" is a combination of the original hieroglyphs from Seti I’s reign and later modifications made during the rule of Ramesses II.

Image: Leonardo Ramos

The helicopter hieroglyphs and the Saqqara Bird are not the only Egyptian archaeological findings attributed to intelligent extraterrestrial beings. Throughout history, the Pyramids of Giza have been repeatedly ascribed to aliens, mostly because of the sheer magnitude of their construction.

According to Ancient astronaut proponents, the technology needed to build the pyramids was not available 4,500 years ago. The cuts and placement of the stones as well as their astronomical alignment are said to be so precise that we couldn't re-create them even in modern times. Although the Pyramids of Giza display a remarkable knowledge of engineering, there is plenty of evidence that these tombs are the work of thousands of human hands.

Image: Артем Дворецкий

In 1966, an Australian man reported seeing a saucer-shaped craft hovering over a field near Tully, Queensland. According to his account, the craft left behind a circular pattern in the crops where it had taken off. Years later, this story inspired two English pranksters to create their own crop circle designs using simple tools.

The phenomenon quickly grew in popularity, with crop circles becoming increasingly complex and intricate. While some believe these patterns are extraterrestrial messages or evidence of advanced alien technology, the vast majority have been proven to be human-made, products of hoaxes, artistic expression, marketing stunts, or tourist attractions.

Image: Jojo Tesini

In December 2009, a massive spiral of light appeared in the sky over northern Norway, sparking widespread speculation about extraterrestrial visitation. The unusual visual phenomenon lasted for two to three minutes, as evidenced by numerous amateur videos shared online.

UFO enthusiasts took it as evidence of extraterrestrial intelligence, while the official explanation wasn't quite as spectacular. Apparently, a Russian military missile test went out of control. The spiral effect resulted either from a malfunctioning stabilizer engine or the missile spinning as it ran out of fuel before falling into the sea.