euphemism treadmill en · NOUN
Pronunciation
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Etymology
Coined by Steven Pinker in 1994, but preceded by Sharon Henderson Taylor's 1974 "euphemism cycle."
Meanings
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The process by which euphemisms fall into disuse and are replaced by new ones, as the old ones become socially unacceptable over time.
To the extent that “African American” was designed to change perceptions of what “Black” means, it hasn’t worked. The grand old euphemism treadmill has done it in.
2025 July 10, John McWhorter, “It’s Time to Let Go of ‘African American’”, in The New York Times, →ISSN, archived from the original on 10 Jul 2025:The euphemism treadmill shows that concepts, not words, are in charge: give a concept a new name, and the name becomes colored by the concept; the concept does not become freshened by the name. (We will know we have achieved equality and mutual respect when names for minorities stay put.)
1994 April 5, Steven Pinker, “The Game of the Name”, in The New York Times, →ISSN, archived from the original on 05 Jul 2022, page A21:Whereas there is a certain degree of clarity as to why the euphemism treadmill comes to exist (since people keep inventing new, often more vague names for uncomfortable things), it is not so clear why there is a constant and steady influx of new iconic coinages in the language.
2017, Angelika Zirker, Matthias Bauer, Olga Fischer, Dimensions of Iconicity, page 33:Linguists are familiar with the phenomenon, which may be called the euphemism treadmill. People invent new words for emotionally charged referents, but soon the euphemism becomes tainted by association, and a new word must be found, which soon acquires its own connotations, and so on.
2003, Steven Pinker, The Blank Slate:Next in line was the Euphemism Treadmill, / gaining its power from the perpetually offended; / and once we take enough steps, it starts to run by itself, / its gears turned and greased by political correctness.
2014, Trevor Patrick, Sooner Or Later, They'll Turn on You!:Euphemism, if successful, exemplifies case m: the new term has a new tone, but preserves sense and reference. The sort of backfire characteristic of the 'euphemism treadmill' is a shift to case i: the tone reverts to that of the old term.
2011, Gary Hardcastle, George Reisch, Bullshit and Philosophy: Guaranteed to Get Perfect Results Every Time: