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
-
One can be excused for wondering why the Islamic Republic of Iran has consistently beaten accusations of near-death since its inception in 1979.—
Alexander Langlois,
Oc Register,
18 Feb. 2026 -
The rep excuses herself; in the hallway, Stephen congratulates Lucy.—
JP Mangalindan,
Time,
17 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Visiting boats moor in the bay but keep to the far side, close enough to admire and distant enough to ignore.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
25 Feb. 2026
-
And, presumably, she’s ignored that.—
R. Eric Thomas,
Denver Post,
25 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Trump then turned to another section of trade law to justify his imposition of the 15% global rate, which take effect Tuesday.—
David McHugh,
Los Angeles Times,
24 Feb. 2026
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The thing to remember is these administrative arrest warrants have been deemed justified by courts in immigration purposes.—
Michael Loria,
USA Today,
24 Feb. 2026
Verb
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That’s no longer the case, so you would be forgiven for attaching more importance to the small-scale appeal of this adaptation of Irish author Bernard MacLaverty’s 2017 novel.—
Robert Abele,
Los Angeles Times,
20 Feb. 2026
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That principle was used by the court to block Biden's attempt to forgive $400 billion in student loan debt.—
Maureen Groppe,
USA Today,
20 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The suit prompted the restaurant to update language on its bill to explain that the service fee was not the same as a gratuity.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
20 Feb. 2026
-
In general, the hospital has always instructed its providers not to make comments or notes about a patient’s immigration status on notes or other materials that can be accessed, the doctor explained.—
Lauren Mascarenhas,
CNN Money,
19 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
If that feels too buzzy, make your way up to the 14th floor, where the Living Room, overlooking the spectacular outdoor pool, is a hush-hush hangout only accessible to hotel guests.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
22 Feb. 2026
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More diverse voices, once overlooked in beauty, including Black women and other women of color, as well as the LGBTQ+ community, flourished during the era.—
Taylor Ardrey,
USA Today,
21 Feb. 2026
Verb
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And on Desaceleradas, Beatriz chooses not to explain away cumbia rebajada’s contradictions, but to celebrate its fundamental mystery.—
Philip Sherburne,
Pitchfork,
7 Jan. 2026
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The historian doesn’t explain away Moore’s infatuation and personal association with the Ugandan dictator Idi Amin, who in 1975 invited her to attend a meeting of the Organization of African Unity in Kampala.—
Dara T. Mathis,
The Atlantic,
16 Dec. 2025
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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 26 Feb. 2026.
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