glossing (over)

verb

present participle of gloss (over)
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)
  1. explaining away
  2. ignoring
  3. excusing
  4. overlooking
  5. explaining
  6. forgiving
  7. justifying
  8. passing 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
Definition of explaining away
Verb
  • Focusing on just the GPUs themselves—ignoring solar panels, cooling systems, and the rest of the server and networking devices—can at least provide a starting point.
    — Scott K. Johnson, ArsTechnica, 20 Aug. 2026
  • Among various allegations, the suits claim the federal permitting process was accelerated, ignoring critical risks like low-river saltwater intrusion and localized air, noise and traffic pollution.
    — Glenn Taylor, Footwear News, 19 Aug. 2026
Definition of ignoring
Verb
  • Not that Miss Manners is excusing those who burst into dinner parties after the roast has been ruined — along with the other guests’ attitudes, most likely — and then blame it on traffic.
    — Judith Martin, Mercury News, 28 July 2026
  • Part of that is the team’s fault, as Boone and Cashman have spent much of his career staunchly defending and excusing the former first-round pick’s poor play.
    — Gary Phillips, New York Daily News, 8 July 2026
Definition of excusing
Verb
  • Too often, people focus on immediate results while overlooking the value of long-term relationships.
    — Thomas Harker, Forbes.com, 17 Aug. 2026
  • Meals are served beneath Murano-glass chandeliers in Sala 4 Continenti, a frescoed dining room, while lighter fare is offered in the tisaneria, an herbal-tea lounge overlooking the mountains.
    — Ken Gawrych, Robb Report, 16 Aug. 2026
Definition of overlooking
Verb
  • Since publication of the New’s initial story, the NYC Transit has instituted a requirement that work orders without payable hours have a note explaining why.
    — Evan Simko-Bednarski, New York Daily News, 16 Aug. 2026
  • Sorvino previously teased the sequel back in 2024, explaining that the original writer, Robin Schiff, was finalizing the script at the time.
    — Meg Walters, InStyle, 15 Aug. 2026
Definition of explaining
Verb
  • The relentless pace of Line Sheet is forgiving for its author.
    — Aidan McLaughlin, Vanity Fair, 19 Aug. 2026
  • The smocked bodice of this dress provides a flattering, forgiving fit that looks great on anyone.
    — Sarah Scott, Southern Living, 8 Aug. 2026
Definition of forgiving
Verb
  • Only medical reasons can be used in justifying concurrent surrogacy, and a qualified physician must attest to them in writing.
    — Arthur L. Caplan, STAT, 18 Aug. 2026
  • So what can Apple offer to convince buyers not to pick up the cheaper Galaxy Z Fold 8, while justifying the extra cost?
    — Janhoi McGregor, Forbes.com, 15 Aug. 2026
Definition of justifying
Verb
  • The August 12 eclipse swept across the Northern Hemisphere, traveling from Russia to Spain and passing over parts of Greenland, Iceland and Portugal.
    — Claire Cameron, Scientific American, 13 Aug. 2026
  • Some residents said the number of planes passing over their homes dropped from more than 20 per day to only a few.
    — Kenny Choi, CBS News, 6 Aug. 2026
Definition of passing over
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
glossing (over)
gloss (over)
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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 23 Aug. 2026.

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