gloss (over)

verb

Definition of gloss (over)next
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)
  1. excuse
  2. ignore
  3. justify
  4. forgive
  5. explain
  6. overlook
  7. explain away
Verb
  • The Supreme Court ruled parents were entitled to notice and an opportunity to excuse their children from instruction that substantially burdened their religious exercise.
    — Nora O'Neill, Charlotte Observer, 10 Aug. 2026
  • For me, the larger question is not whether artistic behavior excuses transgression, but how to hold artistic achievement and ethical accountability together without allowing one to erase the other.
    — Andy Battaglia, ARTnews.com, 3 Aug. 2026
Definition of excuse
Verb
  • And while in some cases online classes can’t be ignored, the preference is that players attend in the classroom.
    — Dana O’Neil, CNN Money, 14 Aug. 2026
  • The Republican Party has ignored the national debt every time Republican presidents have signed bills that have cut taxes on the wealthy.
    — Chicago Tribune, Chicago Tribune, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of ignore
Verb
  • Southampton’s status as one of England’s premier talent houses is justified by the top of this list thanks to their sale of a 16-year-old Theo Walcott to Arsenal in January 2006.
    — Anantaajith Raghuraman, New York Times, 13 Aug. 2026
  • Crump also argued that the criminal charges subsequently brought against Hackett were only brought to justify the force Arellano had already used.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of justify
Verb
  • Between house prices, the cost of living, and the threat AI poses to the labor market, Gen Z could be forgiven for giving up on the American Dream.
    — Eleanor Pringle, Fortune, 10 Aug. 2026
  • Debt can also be discharged under circumstances such as bankruptcy and certain legal proceedings, although those aren't the same as a creditor voluntarily deciding to forgive an account.
    — Angelica Leicht, CBS News, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of forgive
Verb
  • Some news stations would run a warning for viewers before the ad would air, as well as explain the FCC law requiring its airing.
    — Jeff Wagner, CBS News, 11 Aug. 2026
  • Find out what the bill does when one workflow triples its tool calls after a model upgrade, because that is the scenario that turns a modest platform fee into a line item the CFO wants explained.
    — Janakiram MSV, Forbes.com, 11 Aug. 2026
Definition of explain
Verb
  • Cox, whose home overlooks the scenic drive, said she's seen several violent crashes along the road.
    — Laurie Perez, CBS News, 14 Aug. 2026
  • Organizations frequently chase transformation through sweeping initiatives while overlooking subtle changes that disrupt habitual thinking.
    — Rodger Dean Duncan, Forbes.com, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of overlook
Verb
  • Still, there's a difference between de-escalating and going out of your way to explain away the actions of the player who just blasted one of your own.
    — Amber Harding OutKick, FOXNews.com, 9 Aug. 2026
  • How these experiences may be misclassified The symptoms that women in their late 30s, 40s, and early 50s commonly experience are, individually, easy to explain away.
    — Matt Emma, USA Today, 3 Aug. 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
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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 14 Aug. 2026.

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