GLOSS (OVER) Synonyms: 57 Similar and Opposite Words

gloss (over)

verb

Definition of gloss (over)

as in to excuse

to make (something) seem less bad by offering excuses I don't want to gloss over her misbehavior, but keep in mind that she's been under a lot of stress lately

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

as in to ignore

to dismiss as of little importance this biographer tends to gloss over his subject's many character flaws

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for gloss (over)

Verb

Plus, any money owed to the landlord must either be paid or excused with the agreement of the landlord.

— Cuyler Dunn, Kansas City Star, 10 July 2026
And if hydration breaks open the (excuse the pun) floodgates for more ad inventory, then the sport inherently becomes a more valuable entity than non-World Cup action has been to-date.

— John Cassillo, Forbes.com, 8 July 2026

Definition of excuse

Verb

Instead of going home that night, Wilber found himself back in bed 23 of the detention center — his bond denied — trying to ignore a nasty odor permeating his 14-person cell.

— Itzel Luna, Los Angeles Times, 10 July 2026
Kennedy plans to ignore such noise in the lead-up to the draft.

— Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 9 July 2026

Definition of ignore

Verb

Duke then justified its presence in the ACC championship by beating Virginia 27-20 in overtime.

— Scott Fowler, Charlotte Observer, 15 July 2026
But that valuation is justified given CAVA’s strong qualitative fundamentals, such as recent menu innovations and high customer loyalty, leaving the stock attractive, Morgan Stanley said.

— Liz Napolitano, CNBC, 15 July 2026

Definition of justify

Verb

From the side, you could be forgiven for mistaking it for a hill; a thick carpet of grass grows up the walls and over the roof.

— Amelia Soth, JSTOR Daily, 15 July 2026
The final few episodes’ excessive melodrama is easily forgiven when what’s good here — above-average fights, solid jokes, and a game cast — isn’t so easy to forget.

— Ben Travers, IndieWire, 15 July 2026

Definition of forgive

Verb

Lobello explains why soccer is such an efficient form of exercise and what the World Cup could mean for adults looking to get active.

— Nicole Williams, AJC.com, 14 July 2026
Shimizu voluntarily stayed in Vietnam after World War II to join the Việt Minh resistance, opposing French colonial reoccupation, the photographer explained.

— Jacqui Palumbo, CNN Money, 14 July 2026

Definition of explain

Verb

In recent years, with attendance at Latin Mass topping 4,000, the SSPX built a 1,500-seat, $42 million church high on its campus overlooking the tranquil town.

— Judy L. Thomas, Kansas City Star, 9 July 2026
But each is easy to overlook — partly because the consequences of neglect can take decades to surface.

— Matthew T. Drake, Fortune, 9 July 2026

Definition of overlook

Verb

There are other options, but regardless of what’s on the table for the future, burnout deserves to be taken seriously rather than explained away out of pride, guilt, or habit.

— Scott Hanson, Forbes.com, 2 July 2026
These subtle shifts are easy to explain away and even easier to ignore.

— Tatiana Dias, Vogue, 30 June 2026

Definition of explain away

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.

Browse Nearby Words

glossing (over)

gloss (over)

glossy

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Gloss (over).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gloss%20%28over%29. Accessed 16 Jul. 2026.

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Synonyms of gloss (over)

verb

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

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