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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
  • Senior quarterback Dante Moore was nowhere to be found during media availability following the Ducks' loss on the road, which was noticed by every reporter in the room, but according to head coach Dan Lanning, his absence was excused.
    — Mark Harris OutKick, FOXNews.com, 15 Sep. 2026
  • Choose a seat far from your brother-in-law or excuse yourself to help with the dishes.
    — Meghan O’Gieblyn, New Yorker, 14 Sep. 2026
Definition of excuse
Verb
  • Ultimately, the human element can’t be ignored, but the NBA is a business.
    — Hunter Patterson, New York Times, 11 Sep. 2026
  • But for now, let’s all giggle at how fully Naheim ignored Bryan when going to congratulate Jude.
    — Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 11 Sep. 2026
Definition of ignore
Verb
  • On price hikes, analysts think that Apple needs to increase prices by as much as $100 in order to preserve profit margins and that the company's brand can justify this change in the eyes of customers.
    — Tobias Burns, CNBC, 9 Sep. 2026
  • The latest proposal cites legal decisions and policies to justify the various changes.
    — Bart Jansen, USA Today, 9 Sep. 2026
Definition of justify
Verb
  • More gummies than grizzlies, the Bears will likely be overly forgiving in myriad areas — especially defending the pass.
    — Brad Evans, New York Times, 9 Sep. 2026
  • Vertiv shares are up a Micron-like 1043% over the past five years, so investors might be forgiven for profit taking.
    — Michael Khouw, CNBC, 8 Sep. 2026
Definition of forgive
Verb
  • The woman who had compiled the Handy Hints book helpfully explained these technical details to Flynn, whispering in his ear like someone translating a foreign language.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 15 Sep. 2026
  • Instead of explaining why something happened after the fact, the organization helps the customer stay ahead of it.
    — Suresh Rajapakse, Forbes.com, 15 Sep. 2026
Definition of explain
Verb
  • And while vegetable dishes can easily be overlooked on a menu like this, order one or two.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 15 Sep. 2026
  • Ownership can be overlooked when addressing a reputation issue.
    — Scott Keever, Forbes.com, 15 Sep. 2026
Definition of overlook
Verb
  • In an effort to explain away his decision, Kiffin reintroduced old ghosts.
    — Dana O’Neil, CNN Money, 14 Sep. 2026
  • The conversation kicked off with a discussion of faith and the rush to scientifically explain away events that may be divinely touched.
    — Nicholas Riccardi, Los Angeles Times, 2 Sep. 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

“Gloss (over).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gloss%20%28over%29. Accessed 17 Sep. 2026.

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