smooth over
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
More specifically, a 2022 study published in Frontiers in Psychology found that women are also expected to mentor colleagues, manage team dynamics, support struggling coworkers, smooth over conflicts, and maintain positive workplace culture.
—
Maia Niguel Hoskin,
Forbes.com,
19 June 2026
That could smooth over some of the tension.
—
Charlotte Observer,
18 June 2026
Though the meeting lasted just under an hour, many interpreted the move as a positive step in smoothing over the very public royal rift.
—
Jennifer Hassan,
USA Today,
17 June 2026
Historically, federal subsidies smoothed over these adoption costs.
—
Andres Clarens,
The Conversation,
17 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for smooth over
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Maia Niguel Hoskin,
Forbes.com,
19 June 2026
That could smooth over some of the tension.
—
Charlotte Observer,
18 June 2026
Though the meeting lasted just under an hour, many interpreted the move as a positive step in smoothing over the very public royal rift.
—
Jennifer Hassan,
USA Today,
17 June 2026
Historically, federal subsidies smoothed over these adoption costs.
—
Andres Clarens,
The Conversation,
17 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for smooth over
Cite this Entry
“Smooth over.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/smooth%20over. Accessed 25 Jun. 2026.
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