History Main / DeadlyEuphemism

* Creator/TimBurton's ''Film/Batman1989'': ComicBook/TheJoker is quite fond of these (fitting, given his history as a mobster):

* ''Literature/NineteenEightyFour.'' "{{Unperson}}" is the Newspeak term for a person who must be erased from history, making it look like they never existed at all... usually because the person has been arrested and executed. The Ministry of Truth edits newspaper and broadcast archives to remove all mention of such a person.
* In the ''Amtrak Wars'' series there are references to "pulling a trick", where trick is really TRIC -- Terminal Radiation-Induced Cancer.

* In ''The Coward'' by Stephen Aryan, Reverend Mother Britak uses these a lot, being the Pope equivalent and also evil; most notably, she calls brutal interrogation by the ChurchPolice a "Friendly Conversation". Elsewhere, the Keen people who live in the GrimUpNorth have neighborhoods defended by a "smiling gate" - it's not named for friendliness, but because the defenders will give any would-be invaders the "red smile" (i.e., cut their throats).
* ''Literature/{{Discworld}}''

* Creator/RobinHobb's ''Literature/{{Farseer}}'' trilogy: Justified in ''Assassin's Apprentice'', when Fitz attempts to contact the king regarding whether or not he should continue with his orders to kill his latest target. Since he doesn't want the messenger to understand what he's talking about, he says that the prince still wants to "give him the gift", but after feeling out the situation, Fitz doesn't think it appropriate. [[spoiler:Unfortunately for Fitz, the messenger brings it up to the prince, [[SurprisinglyRealisticOutcome who quickly figures out what Fitz was asking about]] and is, [[DeadlyEuphemism shall we say]], [[SelfDemonstratingArticle less than pleased]] at the attempt to subvert his authority.]]

* S. Andrew Swann's ''Literature/{{Hostile Takeover|Swann}}'' trilogy uses the phrase "orbital reduction of target" for OrbitalBombardment.

* In Creator/StephenKing's ''Literature/TheLongWalk'', in which a fatal endurance walk is the main plot, being shot is referred to as "buying a ticket".

* In Kazuo Ishiguro's novel, ''Literature/NeverLetMeGo'', "completed" is the term used when the clones die.
** And by "die", we mean "have had all their vital organs harvested for transplant into non-clone people".

* The ''Franchise/StarTrek'' novel ''[[Literature/StarTrekFederation Federation]]'' has part of its plot in the late 21st Century, when the genocidal political movement Optimum used the term "contained" -- "As in containing the spread of contagion."

** Disabled children who were sent to euthanasia clinics to be murdered were said to be sent for "permanent placement", the implication being that it was "permanent" in the sense that they wouldn't be coming back.

* During the days of American slavery, slavers used the term "natural increase in stock" to describe their methods of increasing the number of slaves. A more accurate term would be [[RapeIsASpecialKindOfEvil "rape"]].

* ''Fanfic/TheSoulmateTimeline'' has [[Anime/PuellaMagiMadokaMagica Kyubey]] be fond of referring to the [[AndThenJohnWasAZombie fate of Magical Girls]] as 'maturation', especially when he talks to others about it.

* In the ''WesternAnimation/StarTrekLowerDecks'' episode "Room for Growth", upon learning that [[SitcomRival Delta Shift]] is seeking to alter the ''Cerritos''[='=] computers to earn a better room, Mariner groans that they should "go join the [[Series/StarTrekDeepSpaceNine Maquis]]". Since the group, by this time, was completely and utterly wiped out, she most likely meant it in this way.

* In ''VideoGame/{{Earthbound}}'', the first truly difficult area you need to transverse is called "[[DifficultySpike Peaceful Rest Valley]]". Rest assured, if you don't do a bit of level grinding, didn't grab a Teddy Bear or two, and didn't figure out the rolling HP Meter mechanic, the [[DemonicSpiders Territorial Oaks]] and [[GoddamnedBats status-ailment-inducing robots]] will guarantee Ness is resting in peace before he can get anywhere near Happy Happy Village.

* WebOriginal/JeffTheKiller of {{Creepypasta}} fame has "GO TO SLEEP" as his catchphrase for when he, well, puts people to sleep.

* Creator/RobinHobb's ''Literature/{{Farseer}}'' trilogy: Justified in ''Assassin's Apprentice'', when Fitz attempts to contact the king regarding whether or not he should continue with his orders to kill his latest target. Since he doesn't want the messenger to understand what he's talking about, he says that the prince still wants to "give him the gift", but after feeling out the situation, Fitz doesn't think it appropriate. [[spoiler:Unfortunately for Fitz, the messenger brings it up to the prince, [[SurprisinglyRealisticOutcome who quickly figures out what Fitz was asking about]] and is, [[DeadlyEuphemism shall we say]], [[SelfDemonstratingArticle less than pleased]] at the attempt to subvert his authority.]]

* ''Videogame/KirbyTripleDeluxe'': When [[spoiler:Taranza]] realizes his once-friend [[spoiler:Queen Sectonia]] is too far gone, he asks Kirby to give her her "final beauty sleep".

* Meta example: ''Videogame/{{Stellaris}}'' is often plagued with late-game lag, as the sheer amount of renders and calculations in the background keeps on increasing, especially those connected to pops, who can number in the thousands eventually. The most direct way to deal with this is, obviously, by reducing the number of renders and calculations, as many players often describe it. [[WouldBeRudeToSayGenocide Especially those belonging to other empires.]] Preferably with a [[EarthShatteringKaboom Colossus]].

* ''Videogame/WatchDogs''. Villain Clients: When dealing with a freaking [[spoiler:slaver]], don't assume that "Take care of her" means protect the liability. You can shoot the guy who says he did it to protect his client, but he has kids.

* Justified in Creator/RobinHobb's ''Assassin's Apprentice'', when Fitz attempts to contact the king regarding whether or not he should continue with his orders to kill his latest target. Since he doesn't want the messenger to understand what he's talking about, he says that the prince still wants to "give him the gift", but after feeling out the situation, Fitz doesn't think it appropriate. [[spoiler:Unfortunately for Fitz, the messenger brings it up to the prince, [[SurprisinglyRealisticOutcome who quickly figures out what Fitz was asking about]] and is, [[DeadlyEuphemism shall we say]], [[SelfDemonstratingArticle less than pleased]] at the attempt to subvert his authority.

'''Servo:''' You know, [[Mooning hang my butt out]]!

** ''Series/TokusouSentaiDekaranger'' also uses "deletion" but in this case it refers to a specific form of DeaderThanDead. The extraterrestrial criminals are not only executed, but their remains are sterilised so that no clone can be made...[[CloningBlues unless they left genetic material elsewhere]]…

* In the ''Series/{{Firefly}}'' episode "House of Gold" Nandi tells Mal why she quit being a [[HighClassCallGirl Companion]], which involved smashing a dulcimer during practice out of frustration. She then tells him about the pimp who owned the House of Gold brothel before she took over.

'''Nandi:''' Let's just say he ain't playin' the dulcimer anymore either. ''(she and Mal laugh and clink glasses)''

* ''Series/IClaudius''. A senator talks of how a friend dying of an illness said he had been "called to Rome," because so many people had been summoned to Rome by [[TheCaligula Caligula]] to be executed it had become this trope.

* ''Series/RedDwarf:'' The Department of Alterations in "Back to Reality" change people. That is, they change living people into dead people.
* On ''Series/Severance2022'', the titular procedure effectively creates a SplitPersonality that only exists in the office. Thus, "retirement" means that that personality (the "innie") stops being activated for work and thus effectively ceases to exist.

* Lampshaded by the Garak of the Mirror Universe in ''Series/StarTrekDeepSpaceNine''. He tells Kira that tomorrow the Intendant (Kira's double from the Mirror Universe) will be "gone." "Gone?" asks Kira and Mirror-Garak repeats "gone" and then comments "Please don't make me use some foolish euphemism." A bit later, he tells Kira that he doesn't go along with her plan, then her doctor-friend (Julian Bashir) will instead be "gone."
* In the ''Series/StarTrekVoyager'' episode "Nemesis", the Defenders and the Kradin refer to the killing of an enemy as "nullifying" them. The theme of the episode is how soldiers are conditioned to hate and kill their enemy, so the use of euphemisms is likely a part of this.

* The [[CreepyChild Little Sisters]] in ''VideoGame/{{BioShock}}'' refer to dead bodies they can harvest ADAM from as "angels". When one of them sees Jack lying motionless on the ground, she says that he's still breathing, but "he'll be an angel soon". ''VideoGame/BioShock2'' reveals that [[spoiler:[[ThroughTheEyesOfMadness they actually see the corpses as angels, people peacefully sleeping on the ground with the outline of a halo and angel wings, surrounded by rose petals]].]]

** Leia Organa's impending execution in ''Franchise/StarWars: Film/ANewHope''. "I'm afraid she's scheduled to be terminated."

* ''Film/TheTerminator'': "You're terminated, fucker!"

* In ''VideoGame/PaperMarioTheThousandYearDoor'', when Koops is reunited with his father Koopley, he says "For ten long years we all thought you'd... you know! [[LeaningOnTheFourthWall We thought your game was over!"]]
** It comes back in its sequel, ''VideoGame/SuperPaperMario'': "Princess Peach, do you take Bowser to be your lawfully wedded husband [[LeaningOnTheFourthWall 'til your games be over?"]]

** The term "processed" was used in official documents to mean "killed", or more specifically "gassed". The killings of Jews on the Eastern Front by the Einsatzgruppen was officially known as "evacuation".

* ''Fanfic/DungeonKeeperAmi'': Used by {{Sorcerous Overlord}}s known as Keepers:
** From [[https://forums.sufficientvelocity.com/threads/dungeon-keeper-ami-sailor-moon-dungeon-keeper-story-only-thread.30066/post-6355759 "A Fitting Punishment"]]:
---> The bravest of the dark elf women raised a shaking hand. "Er, w-what did you do to them?"\\
"I got rid of them," the teenager replied in an impassive tone of voice, trying to pretend being the kind of person that they would not want to disobey. It was fairly hard to project an unfeeling mask, if she was honest with herself. A large part of her only wanted to provide them with some blankets, since their skin was starting to look blue from the cold. She obviously hadn't killed the bile demons either, only tossed them into the portal and given them a hard shove to help them through. If her prospective employees opted to misunderstand her, so be it.
** From [[https://forums.sufficientvelocity.com/threads/dungeon-keeper-ami-sailor-moon-dungeon-keeper-story-only-thread.30066/post-6355830 "Kept Busy"]], implied this, because a SorcerousOverlord is talking: