sugarcoat

verb

sug·​ar·​coat ˈshu̇-gər-ˌkōt How to pronounce sugarcoat (audio)
sugarcoated; sugarcoating; sugarcoats

transitive verb

1
: to coat with sugar
2
: to make superficially attractive or palatable

Examples of sugarcoat in a Sentence

She has very strong opinions, and she doesn't try to sugarcoat them.
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
There was no sugarcoating their first loss in four games to start the season. Elliott Teaford, Oc Register, 28 Sep. 2025 Mind you, this team won’t sugarcoat their reviews if the recipe isn’t good. Alana Al-Hatlani, Southern Living, 26 Sep. 2025 Teachers intuited the connection between struggles and progress in families, and within history, and felt that the teaching of a complex history, one that did not sugarcoat the struggles, would build a more resilient classroom, community, and country. Annie Polland, Time, 25 Sep. 2025 Your gut instincts are way sharper than your ideals, so don’t sugarcoat your feelings. Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 23 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for sugarcoat

Word History

Etymology

back-formation from sugarcoated

First Known Use

1858, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of sugarcoat was in 1858

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Sugarcoat.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sugarcoat. Accessed 5 Oct. 2025.

Kids Definition

sugarcoat

verb
sug·​ar·​coat ˌshu̇g-ər-ˈkōt How to pronounce sugarcoat (audio)
: to coat with or as if with sugar

More from Merriam-Webster on sugarcoat

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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