to paper over

Examples

• All

• Nigeria, which used oil revenues to paper over growing ethnic and regional tensions, represented the other extreme.

  Academic text (1999)

• Yet in the long run, only through true democratic governance will Mexico successfully conquer, rather than just paper over, its security challenges.

  Academic text (2009)

• But neither is it one they can hope to paper over and still win in November.

  Blog text (19)

• The authorities in question seem to paper over this with their press releases.

  Blog text (2)

• Nevertheless, we can't simply paper over Falwell's legacy in the wake of his death.

  Academic text (2007)

• "State and local authorities have tried too strenuously to paper over the inadequacies that existed," Reynolds says.

  Academic text (1995)

• Increased monetary investment in the acquisition workforce would paper over some of these inefficiencies, but this investment is highly unlikely to occur.

  Academic text (2017)

• Mr. Sarkozy's gambit to paper over this real difference will be lucky to find any takers.

  Blog text (25)

• At the city level, Mayor Richard M. Daley papered over deficits with such tricks as a now-infamous parking-meter lease.

  Blog text (27)

• The manager decided to paper over the team's internal issues instead of addressing them directly.

Synonyms

G

to gloss over

vsto paper over

22 6.5

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

is more about softening perception rather than secretly covering faults

S

to smooth over

vsto paper over

18 4.9

Make a problem or argument seem less serious without fixing it

leans toward calming appearances rather than hiding faults outright

W

to whitewash

vsto paper over

12 6.0

To hide bad facts to make something seem better

is active concealment rather than openly fixing the underlying issues

S

to sweep under the rug

vsto paper over

• Informal

8 7.7

To hide a problem instead of dealing with it openly

is chosen to avoid confronting issues rather than solving them

H

to hush up

vsto paper over

• Informal

2 7.2

Stop people finding out about a mistake, crime, or embarrassing event

does this to avoid open discussion instead of resolving the issue

W

to whitewash the issues

vsto paper over

8.4

To hide problems or make them seem less serious

focuses on hiding faults instead of addressing them openly

H

to hide the dirt

vsto paper over

• Informal

8.2

To keep secret wrong actions or mistakes from other people

involves hiding problems rather than dealing with them openly

P

to push under the carpet

vsto paper over

• UK

7.3

To ignore or hide problems instead of dealing with them

means hiding troubles rather than bringing them into open discussion

Antonyms

A

to address

∞ 3.6

To deal with a subject in speech or writing

C

to confront

359 4.4

Face a difficult problem or fear directly and bravely

How Hidden

to whitewash

12 6.0

to cover up

314 3.7

to sweep under the rug

• Informal

8 7.7

to paper over

• Informal

5 7.9

to gloss over

22 6.5

Surface Forms

Morphology

Etymology