paper over
verb
papered over; papering over; papers over
1
: to gloss over, explain away, or patch up (differences, disparities, etc.) especially in order to maintain a semblance of unity or agreement
Examples of paper over in a Sentence
the differences between the two factions are too great to be papered over in the name of party unity
the company tried to paper over its red ink, issuing assurances that it was still financially sound
Recent Examples on the Web
Here’s how strong each nation has looked on paper over the last 30 years based on the NHL talent on its roster.
—
Dom Luszczyszyn, New York Times, 3 Feb. 2026
In a series of emails to the Post last week shared with Semafor, Newsom Chief Deputy Director of Communications Tara Gallegos admonished the paper over various details of its articles.
—Max Tani, semafor.com, 2 Feb. 2026
Even so, personality disputes can be papered over if countries share mutual goals and interests.
—Daniel Depetris, Chicago Tribune, 27 Jan. 2026
But there were only so many problems that talent could paper over for the Trojans, even if Northwestern had come into Wednesday night on the heels of a five-game losing streak.
—Ryan Kartje, Los Angeles Times, 22 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for paper over
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.
Dom Luszczyszyn, New York Times, 3 Feb. 2026
In a series of emails to the Post last week shared with Semafor, Newsom Chief Deputy Director of Communications Tara Gallegos admonished the paper over various details of its articles.
—Max Tani, semafor.com, 2 Feb. 2026
Even so, personality disputes can be papered over if countries share mutual goals and interests.
—Daniel Depetris, Chicago Tribune, 27 Jan. 2026
But there were only so many problems that talent could paper over for the Trojans, even if Northwestern had come into Wednesday night on the heels of a five-game losing streak.
—Ryan Kartje, Los Angeles Times, 22 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for paper over
Cite this Entry
“Paper over.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/paper%20over. Accessed 14 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
