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
-
There was no explaining away a mistake like that.—
Dieter Kurtenbach,
Mercury News,
15 May 2026 -
Offscreen, some fans accuse Wyle of explaining away or downplaying his fictional character’s cruelty, and of a constellation of other sins, including envy of his fellow actors’ credentials.—
Scottie Andrew,
CNN Money,
15 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Beloved actor Ron Perlman fully leans into trying to make the contestants fail this task by forcing eye contact, asking them polite questions, rebuking their bad manners in ignoring him, and even doggedly getting into their personal space.—
Tasha Robinson,
Vulture,
16 June 2026
-
Unfortunately, sometimes the brain is too efficient, leading us to cling to false information and unproductive habits while ignoring information that could clearly benefit us.—
Dr. Deepika Chopra,
Flow Space,
16 June 2026
Verb
-
Without excusing her actions, Harron’s film explores Solanis’ place as a misfit even within the outsider world of the 1960s NYC underground art scene.—
Mark Olsen,
Los Angeles Times,
12 June 2026
-
No one is excusing Austin Metcalf’s murder.—
Jack Crosbie,
Rolling Stone,
12 June 2026
Verb
-
The open mid-modern tropical common area is equipped with two communal tables overlooking a tower of bamboo and an open kitchen where Ayurvedic meals are prepared, including daily teas made by an in-house herbalist.—
Sandra Guzmán,
USA Today,
18 June 2026
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His dream family apartment overlooking the Mediterranean Sea was a heap of rubble and shattered glass.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
18 June 2026
Verb
-
Elena witnessed the argument and tried explaining to Moshe their concerns about previous squatters in the building.—
Olivia Bensimon,
Curbed,
17 June 2026
-
In November, Rashada posted a tutorial video to his Instagram account explaining the claims-buying process, which led to a flood of referrals over next several months.—
Daniel Libit,
Sportico.com,
17 June 2026
Verb
-
Hopefully people will make the connection of the importance of dreaming and planning and affirmations but also the importance of letting things go, like forgiving people.—
Stuart Miller,
Los Angeles Times,
9 June 2026
-
Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.—
Armando Salguero,
FOXNews.com,
8 June 2026
Verb
-
The earnings expectations that break the map Even before the dispersion data crystallized, Lamont was growing uneasy about the earnings story justifying valuations.—
Nick Lichtenberg,
Fortune,
12 June 2026
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But Adraee has been accused of justifying the killing of some journalists.—
Melanie Lidman,
Los Angeles Times,
9 June 2026
Verb
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Subtle audio tracks the sound of ice on the move, views of clouds passing over glass-like ice, and there's the eventual memorial for Ok.—
Erika Owen,
Condé Nast Traveler,
16 June 2026
-
Eilmer managed to glide a good 600 feet, passing over the city wall before crash-landing in a small valley near the river Avon.—
Jennifer Ouellette,
ArsTechnica,
14 June 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 19 Jun. 2026.
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