1
as in explaining away
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 ignoring
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 glossing (over)
Verb
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And ignoring that fact is now no longer a laughing matter.—
Joshua Kloke,
New York Times,
28 Jan. 2026 -
Parents react in different ways, from telling their potty-mouthed offspring to stop, to explaining why this is a bad habit, to ignoring the behavior, or even enforcing consequences as a punishment.—
Melissa Willets,
Parents,
26 Jan. 2026
Verb
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But there’s no excusing Josh Allen’s four turnovers.—
Nick Canepa,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
24 Jan. 2026
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This isn’t about excusing others for poor behavior.—
Heather V. MacArthur,
Forbes.com,
18 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Regina stood in front of the window overlooking the void that plunged down to the courtyard below, beyond the balcony railing.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
22 Jan. 2026
-
Most rooms already have an ocean view, considering this is a hillside overlooking the ocean—but upgrading to a sea-view suite with a private pool is well worth it for an extremely private, green patio with sun beds and swimming options just outside your room and overlooking the water.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
22 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Brown shared a statement explaining his absence with CBS Mornings and Today as the remaining members of the cast — Tan France, Jonathan Van Ness, Antoni Porowski, and new design expert Jeremiah Brent — appeared without him.—
Ryan Coleman,
Entertainment Weekly,
22 Jan. 2026
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While several market observers emphasized the impact of trade war concerns when explaining the latest movements in risk assets, some analysts noted the influence that leverage had on these price fluctuations.—
Charles Lloyd Bovaird II,
Forbes.com,
21 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Point is, this recipe is forgiving.—
Leah Donnella,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
22 Jan. 2026
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But even if society were genuinely forgiving, there are many types of serious crimes.—
Judith Martin,
Sun Sentinel,
21 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Alarmists will often focus on the negative while passing over potential positive outcomes.—
Jeff Mayhugh,
Washington Post,
5 Jan. 2026
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The epicenter of the hurricane is passing over Cuba at the opposite end of the island to the Caribbean country's capital city of Havana, the BBC noted.—
Abigail Adams,
PEOPLE,
29 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Husband-chef and wife-farmer duo Kyle and Katina Connaughton are culinary dynamos who create pure magic on every plate served at SingleThread, more than justifying the lengthy waitlist for reservations.—
Kathryn Romeyn,
Travel + Leisure,
21 Jan. 2026
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In justifying the need for the county’s investment, county Commissioner Andrew Sommerman noted the burden homeless individuals are placing on the jail, Dallas Area Rapid Transit’s buses and trains, and the Parkland Hospital emergency department.—
Tracey McManus,
Dallas Morning News,
21 Jan. 2026
Verb
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However, Smith confirmed to USA TODAY that, for months, ICE has also released individuals to them on occasion, typically those with extenuating circumstances, such as illness or medical need.—
Lauren Villagran,
USA Today,
20 Jan. 2026
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There are extenuating circumstances.—
Mike Sando,
New York Times,
12 Jan. 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Glossing (over).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/glossing%20%28over%29. Accessed 29 Jan. 2026.
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