smooth over

phrasal verb

smoothed over; smoothing over; smooths over also smoothes over

: to make (a disagreement, problem, difficulty, etc.) seem less serious than it really is

Don't worry about missing the application deadline—we'll smooth that over with the office.

She smoothed over the objections to his candidacy.

Examples of smooth over in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

This set with a 100% mulberry silk face mask and pillowcase, both of which help smooth over fine lines and frizz. —Audrey Lee, Architectural Digest, 28 Nov. 2025

Giza cotton is more luxurious and durable than standard cotton, with extra-long fibers that resist pilling, withstand regular washing, and remain smooth over time. —Mariana Best, Better Homes & Gardens, 26 Nov. 2025

String theory is a putative solution to the problem, replacing particles with minuscule lengths of vibrating string to smooth over snags that doom other candidate theories. —Matt Von Hippel, Quanta Magazine, 19 Nov. 2025

The president has smoothed over relations with the Saudis since the CIA assessed about a month after Khashoggi's killing that the crown prince had ordered it. —Kathryn Watson, CBS News, 18 Nov. 2025

Rhymes for smooth over

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