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
My personal favorite is Fishbowl, where players work to have teammates guess words, phrases, or characters written on slips of paper over three rounds.
—
Betsy Cribb Watson, Southern Living, 21 June 2025
Tax legislation often requires difficult compromises to paper over divisions within the ruling party.
—Laurent Belsie, Christian Science Monitor, 18 June 2025
But Lutnick's optimism papered over unanswered questions that importers have about China's promises.
—Kevin Breuninger, CNBC, 11 June 2025
Cassidy Jones, senior visitation program manager at the National Parks Conservation Assn., told Michael that cuts to the parks are tangible and will directly affect visitors’ experience over the coming months, despite efforts by leadership at the Department of the Interior to paper over the cracks.
—Kevinisha Walker, Los Angeles Times, 2 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for paper over
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Betsy Cribb Watson, Southern Living, 21 June 2025
Tax legislation often requires difficult compromises to paper over divisions within the ruling party.
—Laurent Belsie, Christian Science Monitor, 18 June 2025
But Lutnick's optimism papered over unanswered questions that importers have about China's promises.
—Kevin Breuninger, CNBC, 11 June 2025
Cassidy Jones, senior visitation program manager at the National Parks Conservation Assn., told Michael that cuts to the parks are tangible and will directly affect visitors’ experience over the coming months, despite efforts by leadership at the Department of the Interior to paper over the cracks.
—Kevinisha Walker, Los Angeles Times, 2 June 2025
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 16 Jul. 2025.
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