Euphemisms are words that cushion the blow of reality, allowing us to avoid an unpleasant word or topic. Saying passed away instead of died is using a euphemism, which can also be called euphemizing. People euphemize about topics that are difficult to talk about, such as sex and death. When politicians started calling civilian deaths collateral damage, that was a classic case of euphemizing. When we euphemize, we avoid harsh words with softer — and often deceptive — terms.