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to gloss

to gloss

23 8.0
To make something sound better to hide problems
  • verb
  • /ɡlɔs/
translation icon : disimular
  • - Stop glossing over the facts.
  • gloss over the fact
  • gloss over the truth
  • gloss over problems

We gloss gloss over Jim Crow stuff, segregation.

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Examples

  • Not that there was an attempt to ignore these events or gloss them over.

    Fiction book (1994)
  • And I think we can kind of gloss over a lot of the problem and just agree on the solutions.

  • - I tried to gloss things over a little... in my letters.

  • A correct analysis of the global economic order cannot gloss over this reality without losing its critical edge.

    Academic text (2010)
  • So we said, okay, let's just gloss right over it.

  • "I forced a little laugh, trying to gloss it over.

    Fiction book (1992)
  • You can't gloss over serious problems, everybody.

  • Whatever it is, there's no way I can gloss over the facts here and make it sound good.

  • Yet a careful reading of Tocqueville shows that he hardly glossed over the problem of women's inequality.

    Academic text (1996)
  • You can't gloss over serious problems if you want to find real solutions.

Synonyms

to excuse
vsto gloss
178 2.5

Try to explain a mistake to make it seem less serious

leans toward a deceptive and favorable account aiming to hide real faults
to color
vsto gloss
  • US
80 6.5

To change someone's opinion or how a story appears, often unfairly

presents a misleadingly favorable explanation specifically to hide mistakes
to misrepresent
vsto gloss
71 6.9

Give a false story about someone or something to trick people

offers a misleadingly favorable explanation to hide faults
to sugarcoat
vsto gloss
  • Informal
19 5.0

Make something unpleasant seem nicer than it is

uses a misleadingly favorable explanation with intent to conceal faults
to whitewash
vsto gloss
12 6.0

To hide bad facts to make something seem better

offers a misleadingly favorable explanation rather than admit errors
to fudge
vsto gloss
11 7.5

To change numbers or facts dishonestly to hide the truth

offers a misleadingly positive explanation to cover mistakes
to bend the truth
vsto gloss
3 5.9

To say something that is not exactly what happened to make it look better

uses a misleadingly favorable explanation that may hide faults
to fudge the details
vsto gloss
  • Informal
7.7

Change facts on purpose to make something seem better

gives a misleading and favorable explanation that hides faults
6.5

To make up a false reason to avoid blame

gives a misleadingly favorable explanation instead of honest admission

Phrasal Verbs

22 6.5

Make a problem or mistake seem less serious by leaving out details

Compounds

34 2.5

A liquid or gel you put on your lips to make them shiny

A very shiny smooth surface that reflects light brightly

How Misleading

to cover up
314 3.7
whitewash
4 6.8
to gloss
23 8.0
to rationalize
  • US
64 6.4

Surface Forms

gloss infinitive
glossed past
glossed past participle
glossing present participle
glosses third person singular

Etymology

To gloss over something, meaning to give a misleading or pleasant explanation, grows from that same idea of 'shining over' a fault, and a helpful way to remember it is to think of putting a bright cover story on a problem, so to gloss is to explain in a way that hides the true faults.