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
-
And historians can talk about the Versailles treaty causing resentment in Germany, which led to the rise of Nazism in World War II, and that’s fine; that’s not excusing.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
3 Apr. 2026 -
No grievance, no workplace conflict, no personal resentment ever excuses violence.—
Peter D'Abrosca,
FOXNews.com,
2 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
This is a youngster in great form and proving hard to ignore.—
Simon Johnson,
New York Times,
1 Apr. 2026
-
Some Democrats argue that the cost of ignoring young male voters is higher than the risk of association with Piker.—
Jesus Mesa,
MSNBC Newsweek,
31 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
-
This little houseplant is easy for beginners, safe around pets, purifies the air, and is forgiving of neglect.—
Karen Brewer Grossman,
Southern Living,
5 Apr. 2026
-
Now, Billy Ray is reportedly trying to make amends with his family, but Tish isn’t so forgiving.—
Lizzie Lanuza,
StyleCaster,
4 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Using a synesthetic logic all his own, Torres explains why Dwayne (the Rock) Johnson is orange, Catholicism is purple, and navy blue is the nefarious color that secretly runs the world.—
Richard Brody,
New Yorker,
3 Apr. 2026
-
For an overview of small business tax responsibilities, see IRS Publication 583, which explains general filing and recordkeeping requirements.—
Nancy Ashburn,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
2 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Rooms are in muted tones of grey, green, and dusky blue, and even the smallest have plenty of space with king-size beds and a table and chairs—the city views are more interesting, but the ones overlooking the courtyard have dinky Juliette balconies as a consolation.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
5 Apr. 2026
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The museum’s fourth floor doubles as an event space and features a large terrace that overlooks the bay.—
Jennifer Van Grove,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
5 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
That bone-deep exhaustion during perimenopause is easy to explain away.—
Allison Palmer,
Kansas City Star,
1 Apr. 2026
-
At the time, the signs felt easy to explain away.—
Daniella Gray,
MSNBC Newsweek,
29 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 6 Apr. 2026.
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