Euphemisms — soft terms used to replace something that is unpleasant or offensive — pepper our conversations about everything from using the bathroom (“powder my nose”) to illness (the “Big C”) and death (“passed away”).

Such disguises and deceptive language can be harmless. But when they obscure harmful misinformation, it’s time to unmask them, particularly as we enter an election year, when disinformation and distortions flood our newsfeeds.

I explain more about the misuse of euphemisms in this commentary for the Poynter Institute.