1
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
2
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
-
The judge found her involvement in the fraud scheme during that period undermined her eligibility and that there were no mitigating circumstances to excuse her conduct.—
Sergio Candido,
CBS News,
27 Mar. 2026 -
None of this, of course, is to excuse what Kyle said to Amanda, but an attempt to explain his psychology and illustrate how relationships on these shows are more doomed than Katy Perry’s pop career.—
Brian Moylan,
Vulture,
25 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
But all that seemed to go ignored by the presenter, attendees said.—
Jesse Coburn,
ProPublica,
24 Mar. 2026
-
But how can justice, let alone a meaningful reckoning, begin when the killings go on, swept under the rug by state officials and all but ignored by everyone else?—
Brendan King,
Harpers Magazine,
24 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Policies were justified not with reference to morality or metaphysics but with citations of white papers.—
Becca Rothfeld,
New Yorker,
30 Mar. 2026
-
Conflicts abroad, such as in Iran, that may disrupt domestic oil resources could also be used as an argument to justify the need to drill, Sivas said.—
Sierra Lopez,
Mercury News,
30 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Women who report abuse are too often told to forgive, submit, or stay silent.—
Ed Gaskin,
Boston Herald,
29 Mar. 2026
-
Not forgive, not empathize, just listen with an open mind.—
Liana Finck,
New Yorker,
27 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Iannarelli explained that a core element of de-escalation is projecting calmness, as individuals often mimic those who appear angry and agitated.—
Evonne Andris,
Miami Herald,
26 Mar. 2026
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The justices did not issue an opinion explaining their decision to stay Duckett’s execution.—
Martin E. Comas,
The Orlando Sentinel,
26 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Camouflaged in a valley speckled with just a handful of villas and farmsteads, the 16 stone houses overlook the naked dunes and sensational sunsets of Livadia Bay.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
30 Mar. 2026
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The airline placed everyone seeking information in a conference room that overlooked the Potomac River, where the wreckage of Flight 5342 bobbed in the water.—
Brit McCandless Farmer,
CBS News,
29 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Some enforcement agents explain away their disappointment at such an escape with a you-can’t-win-’em-all shrug.—
Dave Duffey,
Outdoor Life,
26 Mar. 2026
-
The conversations were often brief and fragmented, shaped by years of pain that had already been normalized or explained away.—
Sarah Berg,
STAT,
26 Mar. 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Gloss (over).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gloss%20%28over%29. Accessed 1 Apr. 2026.
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