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Glite Dictionary
to interpret away

to interpret away

8.0
To say problems or criticism are not serious by changing their meaning
  • phrasal verb
  • /ɪnˈtɜrprɪt əˈweɪ/
  • Informal
translation icon : restar importancia
  • Politicians often interpret away criticism by blaming the media or opposition.

Examples

  • She managed to interpret away her mistakes as learning experiences during the interview.

  • He tried to interpret away the harsh comments by saying they were just jokes.

  • Don't interpret away my concerns!

  • She always interprets away any negative feedback.

  • He tried to interpret away the harsh comments by saying they were just jokes.

  • Politicians often interpret away criticism by blaming the media or opposition.

  • She managed to interpret away her mistakes as learning experiences during the interview.

Synonyms

to sweep aside
vsto interpret away
3 4.7

To ignore an opinion or worry as unimportant

dismisses criticism by explaining them more positively
to rationalize away
vsto interpret away
  • US
1 7.9

Try to explain strange events with normal reasons to dismiss other ideas

dismisses criticism by explaining it in a more favorable way

Antonyms

to accept
∞ 1.3

To believe or agree that something is true

to acknowledge
367 3.8

To admit that something is true or real

How Dismissive

to dismiss
332 3.0
to ignore
∞ 1.0
to interpret away
  • Informal
8.0
to explain
∞ 1.0
to address
∞ 3.6
to acknowledge
367 3.8

Surface Forms

interpret away infinitive
interpreted away past
interpreted away past participle
interpreting away present participle
interprets away third person singular

Morphology

interpret + away

The meaning is directly derivable from 'interpret' (to explain or give meaning) combined with 'away' (to make disappear or remove): together they convey 'explain so that something is dismissed or disappears.' This follows a productive English verb + away pattern (e.g., 'brush away', 'write away') and is likely understandable to a B1 learner who knows both constituents.

Etymology

Interpret away makes a simple picture: you interpret a problem and push it away, changing its meaning so it does not look like a fault. That's why it means 'to dismiss or explain away' criticism.