History Main / DeadlyEuphemism

* Sharps Rifles were often shipped by sympathetic abolitionists to Free-Soiler militia groups in "Bleeding Kansas" in crates labelled [[BlatantLies
"Books and Bibles"]], with a layer of bibles on top hiding their true cargo. They quickly earned the moniker "Beecher's Bibles" after Henry Ward Beecher, a clergyman from the famous abolitionist Beecher family, who worked with other leading Free-Staters to raise money for these shipments.

* In ''Film/TrueLies'', Schwarzenegger says "you're fired" right before he [[spoiler: discharges the missile entangled with the villain into a building]]. This isn't the first film to have used this joke. It also appeared in ''Ricochet'' when the villain shoots someone hanging from a truck. There could be other examples.

* Agent 47 of ''VideoGame/{{Hitman}}'' -- especially in the ''VideoGame/WorldOfAssassinationTrilogy'' -- displays a masterful grasp of [[TroubleEntendre innuendo and doublespeak]] when describing [[ProfessionalKiller his line of work]], even when under disguise. Whenever he poses as his neutral GoToAlias "Tobias Rieper" and is asked what he does for a living, answers include "corporate liquidator" and saying he's in "the retirement business".

In some cases, such as with a sick dog needing to be euthanized or a vicious sentient drawing about to be defeated, the words 'destroyed' or 'erased' may be used, not as a euphemism, but rather because the word 'killed' is insufficient. Usually refers to those who have suffered a FateWorseThanDeath, or an individual who has been [[{{Unperson}} killed and wiped from all records]]. Or they just don't acknowledge them as people to begin with.

** Judge Doom also uses the word "execute" to describe what he is going to do to Roger after the rabbit is found guilty (''Execute'' literally means "carry out an action").

** In the ancient past of ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyXIV'', when a person felt that they had completed their purpose in life to the best of their ability, they would [[NothingLeftToDoButDie "return to the star"]] to continue the cycle of {{Reincarnation}} within TheLifestream. When someone calls it dying, another person of that time admits he hadn't heard the word "die" in a long time.

--->'''Saul:''' I mean, everybody loved that mutt, but one day he showed up rabid and little Timmy, for Old Yeller's sake, had to... [[MercyKill you saw the movie]].

* In ''WesternAnimation/TheLionKing1994'', Mufasa tells Simba "One day the sun will set on my time here and will rise with you as the new king." Simba doesn't seem to understand Mufasa's meaning, and he gleefully looks forward to being king, never considering that his beloved father will be dead then. [[spoiler:It comes as a brutal shock to him when Mufasa dies sooner than anyone (except Scar) expected.]]

** When a plane crashes into a mountainside due to pilot error (perhaps due to poor visibility, as opposed to the plane itself malfunctioning), it is known as "Controlled Flight Into Terrain."

** "Bubble Buddy" has a {{winged soul|FliesOffAtDeath}} say of the episode's title character, "He made me experience high tide!" Yes, the speaker drowned in an underwater lake, and he's a cartoon fish; none of it is supposed to make sense.

* Subverted in one episode of ''WesternAnimation/SpongeBobSquarePants''.

* In John Ringo's ''Literature/PosleenWarSeries'' books, the Darhel will go to extreme lengths to avoid any words referring to death or violence.

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

* In UsefulNotes/WorldWarII, the Japanese were not invading and conquering Asia, they were "liberating" Asia from colonial rule.

* ''Literature/RealmOfTheElderlings'': 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, [[SelfDemonstratingArticle shall we say, less than pleased]] at the attempt to subvert his authority.]]

* In ''VideoGame/DetroitBecomeHuman'', The government labeled the android extermination camps as "Recycling Centers".

* In ''VideoGame/{{Kindergarten}}'', being expelled is this. [[spoiler:Or being a guinea pig like Billy was.]]