1
as in ignoring
to dismiss as of little importance
the differences between the two factions are too great to be papered over in the name of party unity
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in hiding
to keep secret or shut off from view
the company tried to paper over its red ink, issuing assurances that it was still financially sound
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of papering over
But the results were papering over some crumbly performances.
—
Carl Anka, New York Times, 19 Oct. 2025
Carl Anka, New York Times, 19 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for papering over
Verb
-
Over the summer the FDA convened a panel on the safety of certain antidepressants in pregnancy that tried to cast doubt on this research, ignoring the real harms of not treating depression or anxiety for pregnant people themselves and for their fetuses.—
Tanya Lewis,
Scientific American,
23 Oct. 2025
-
But the writers, like Noah and Joanne, are ignoring that fundamental fork in the road in favor of inane high jinks from the couple and their increasingly irksome friends and family.—
Kelly Lawler,
USA Today,
23 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
The small black dog slipped away from its owners and ended up hiding under a northbound 2 train at the 14th Street station Thursday.—
Sophia Compton,
FOXNews.com,
25 Oct. 2025
-
The episode ends with Matty officially agreeing to work with Olympia to save Julian and bury Senior, though Matty has some demands, including wanting Julian — once all the dust has settled — to apologize for hiding the document.—
Noel Murray,
Vulture,
24 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Some viewers though were less than forgiving.—
Alice Gibbs,
MSNBC Newsweek,
25 Oct. 2025
-
The Boss was essentially thanking the Taxi Driver scribe for forgiving the creative larceny Springsteen perpetrated in those early days of his career.—
Mike Fleming Jr,
Deadline,
20 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Instead of concealing them, Ban’s shutters filter light and create privacy—transforming utilitarian design into art.—
Abby Montanez,
Robb Report,
24 Oct. 2025
-
Trump faced criminal counts of conspiring to obstruct justice, concealing documents and making false statements.—
Aysha Bagchi,
USA Today,
23 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
The Çırağan Palace Kempinski Istanbul, once an Ottoman imperial residence, is now a luxury hotel overlooking the Bosphorus.—
Susmita Baral,
Travel + Leisure,
25 Oct. 2025
-
Today, the mountaintop hotel overlooking Eureka Springs offers ghost tours through its Victorian halls and former morgue, and the price of a room ranges from about $150 to $600.—
Deirdre Bardolf,
FOXNews.com,
25 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Conversely, when the environment is very well-lit—especially by direct light sources like overhead or wall lamps—the glossy finish of the panel tends to reflect the sources, obscuring the picture in the process.—
PC Magazine,
PC Magazine,
21 Oct. 2025
-
The department, run by State Superintendent Jill Underly, relies on a rudimentary system to track its investigations, obscuring the scale of misconduct for policymakers and the public.—
Danielle DuClos,
jsonline.com,
17 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Over the next week, Melissa is passing over some warmer than usual waters in the Caribbean, which has not seen a tropical storm or hurricane yet this season.—
Alex Harris,
Miami Herald,
21 Oct. 2025
-
Simply rake fallen leaves from landscape beds into piles and mow over them on your lawn, chopping them into small pieces by passing over them several times.—
Megan Hughes,
Better Homes & Gardens,
2 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Eleanor Pringle is an award-winning senior reporter at Fortune covering news, the economy, and personal finance.—
Eleanor Pringle,
Fortune,
26 Oct. 2025
-
Eco mode offers a gentle support for more everyday activities like walking or covering slight inclines, while Hyper definitely takes things up a notch for running or steeper climbs.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
26 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Papering over.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/papering%20over. Accessed 30 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share