Euphemisms are unpleasant truths wearing diplomatic cologne.

Crisp’s metaphor treats a euphemism as a cosmetic: it does not change the underlying fact (“unpleasant truths”) but perfumes it so it can pass in polite company (“diplomatic cologne”). The phrase suggests that euphemistic language is less about kindness than about social management—protecting speakers and institutions from discomfort, blame, or conflict. By calling the scent “diplomatic,” Crisp implies an official or strategic motive: euphemisms can be tools of power, used to make harsh actions sound acceptable. The epigram’s sting lies in its insistence that clarity is more honest than refinement, and that verbal elegance can function as moral evasion.