paper over

verb

papered over; papering over; papers over

transitive verb

1

: to gloss over, explain away, or patch up (differences, disparities, etc.) especially in order to maintain a semblance of unity or agreement

2

: hide, conceal

Synonyms of paper over

• ignore
• forgive
• overlook
• explain
• pass over
• justify
• brush (aside or off)
• pardon

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

But those are two very different movies, and there aren’t enough achingly tender John Prine songs in the world to paper over the gap between them. —David Ehrlich, IndieWire, 9 Apr. 2026

The improvement between Gemini 2 and Gemini 3 may be papering over a more serious flaw. —Frank Landymore, Futurism, 8 Apr. 2026

Line the bottom and sides of a 13x9-inch baking pan with parchment paper, extending paper over opposite sides of pan; lightly coat with nonstick cooking spray. —Katlyn Moncada, Better Homes & Gardens, 6 Apr. 2026

Her transgression is one of the worst things imaginable; in a way, what Emma is hiding stems from a societal ill that gets papered over every day. —David Sims, The Atlantic, 3 Apr. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1910, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for paper over

• carryover
• changeover
• crossover
• cutover
• flashover
• hangover
• holdover
• layover
• leftover
• makeover
• moreover
• passover