whitewash

1 of 2

verb

white·​wash ˈ(h)wīt-ˌwȯsh How to pronounce whitewash (audio)
-ˌwäsh
whitewashed; whitewashing; whitewashes

transitive verb

1
: to whiten with whitewash
a freshly whitewashed wall
a row of whitewashed cottages
"Does a boy get a chance to whitewash a fence every day?"Mark Twain
2
a
: to gloss over or cover up (something, such as a record of criminal behavior)
refused to whitewash the scandal
In the years following the Nuremberg trials, there was an increasingly concerted effort to whitewash the record of the Wehrmacht, the armed forces of the Third Reich.Rob Zacny
b
: to exonerate (someone) by means of a perfunctory investigation or through biased presentation of data
… seemed to be trying to tell the full story without trying to whitewash the dictator or conceal his atrocities.Ronald Hingley
3
informal : to hold (an opponent) scoreless in a game or contest
He stopped 38 shots to shut out the Oilers on Feb. 9; 39 in blanking the Rangers on Nov. 12; and 45 in whitewashing the Avalanche on Oct. 30.Austin Murphy
4
: to alter (something) in a way that favors, features, or caters to white people: such as
a
: to portray (the past) in a way that increases the prominence, relevance, or impact of white people and minimizes or misrepresents that of nonwhite people
… touches obliquely on Jones' assertion that the mayor and other white city leaders want to "whitewash" the telling of our nation's civil rights struggles.Jeff Gauger
b
: to alter (an original story) by casting a white performer in a role based on a nonwhite person or fictional character
It was important to Jenny Han, author of the YA books To All the Boys I've Loved Before, that the film adaption would keep one key detail: that the lead character, Lara Jean, was Asian-American. In a new essay …, Han revealed that nearly every production company interested in adapting her best-selling book into a movie asked to whitewash it.Hunter Harris
The Hollywood screenwriter Max Landis has denied defending the casting of Scarlett Johansson in a "whitewashed" remake of the classic Japanese anime Ghost in the Shell.Ben Child
whitewasher noun
whitewashing noun
a wall that requires whitewashing
There shall be no whitewashing of Lizzie Eustace. She was abominable. Anthony Trollope
Including his Game 2 whitewashing of the A's, he'd allowed just three earned runs in his last 92 2/3 innings … Peter Gammons
In so many parts of the world, culture rooted in black communities has at one point or another faced attempts at whitewashing: Just look at all the buttoned-up white jazz ensembles that emerged across the United States in the early 20th century. Sebastian Modak

whitewash

2 of 2

noun

1
: a liquid composition for whitening a surface: such as
a
: a preparation for whitening the skin
b
: a composition (as of lime and water or whiting, size, and water) for whitening structural surfaces
2
: an act or instance of glossing over or of exonerating
3
: a defeat in a contest in which the loser fails to score

Examples of whitewash in a Sentence

Verb a book that tries to whitewash the country's past refused to whitewash the governor's chronic disregard for the truth
Recent Examples on the Web
Verb
From honoring the medical feats of Indigenous civilizations pre-colonization to exploring the prevailing civil rights contributions of Latinos in the U.S., Leguizamo and DeJesus hope to reclaim the stories that are often whitewashed or excluded from the mainstream. Tribune News Service, The Mercury News, 1 Oct. 2024 The Spaniards named the oasis for St. Peter, built several mission churches — including the whitewashed, adobe Iglesia San Pedro de Atacama in the town center. Joe Yogerst, Forbes, 30 Sep. 2024
Noun
Johns brothers continue to make a statement this week with the first 4-0 whitewash of a team of the weekend, defeating the hapless Columbus Sliders. Todd Boss, Forbes, 23 Sep. 2024 It’s known as the most reliable wave in Washington, thanks to the rock jetty that helps shape the swell and deliver point breaks, while the sandy bottom and frothy whitewash (that’s the foam after a wave breaks close to shore) offer a less intimidating option for learning. Graham Averill, Outside Online, 28 July 2024 See all Example Sentences for whitewash 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'whitewash.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

Verb

1591, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

circa 1584, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of whitewash was circa 1584

Dictionary Entries Near whitewash

Cite this Entry

“Whitewash.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/whitewash. Accessed 15 Oct. 2024.

Kids Definition

whitewash

1 of 2 verb
white·​wash ˈhwīt-ˌwȯsh How to pronounce whitewash (audio)
-ˌwäsh,
ˈwīt-
1
: to whiten with whitewash
2
a
: to explain away or cover up
refused to whitewash the scandal
b
: to clear of a charge of wrongdoing by offering excuses, hiding facts, or conducting a careless investigation
accused the city council of whitewashing the mayor
3
informal : to prevent an opponent in a game or contest from scoring
whitewasher noun

whitewash

2 of 2 noun
1
: a mixture (as of lime and water) for whitening a surface
2
: a clearing or covering up of wrongdoing

More from Merriam-Webster on whitewash

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!