1
as in ignoring
to dismiss as of little importance
the differences between the two factions are too great to be papered over in the name of party unity
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in hiding
to keep secret or shut off from view
the company tried to paper over its red ink, issuing assurances that it was still financially sound
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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.
Recent Examples of papering over
Dee Winters undercut a pass and returned it 74 yards for a game-sealing score, papering over a shaky performance by the 49ers’ defense.
—
Michael Nowels, Mercury News, 23 Dec. 2025
But the results were papering over some crumbly performances.
—Carl Anka, New York Times, 19 Oct. 2025
Michael Nowels, Mercury News, 23 Dec. 2025
But the results were papering over some crumbly performances.
—Carl Anka, New York Times, 19 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for papering over
Verb
-
This framing effectively provides a rationale for ignoring officers’ commands during field encounters.—
Christina Buttons,
Washington Post,
3 Feb. 2026
-
In November, my doctor gently reprimanded me for ignoring my 2024 colonoscopy date.—
Gustavo Arellano,
Los Angeles Times,
3 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
When washed with ethanol, the hydrogel appeared transparent, hiding the image entirely.—
Neetika Walter,
Interesting Engineering,
6 Feb. 2026
-
Wild forward Nico Sturm has been breaking in his Team Germany skates at a few Minnesota practices, and joked about hiding his on-ice moves from NHL teammates that may be foes in Italy.—
Jess Myers,
Twin Cities,
5 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
The standings aren’t forgiving.—
C.J. Holmes,
New York Daily News,
23 Jan. 2026
-
Point is, this recipe is forgiving.—
Leah Donnella,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
22 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Chalamet styled his pants over the boots, with the hem concealing the shaft, so that only the orange vamp and the outer rubber sole were visible.—
Karla Rodriguez,
Footwear News,
30 Jan. 2026
-
On Monday, a jury found Townsend guilty of endangerment and concealing a homicide, but the murderer is still out there.—
Jermont Terry,
CBS News,
28 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
The Japan romantics may be overlooking some clear drawbacks, however, including the 30 years of economic struggles that followed the bursting of a truly epic bubble in the 1990s.—
Nick Lichtenberg,
Fortune,
5 Feb. 2026
-
The centerpiece of the 13-acre-plus parkland is a curved bridge overlooking a savanna, allowing elephants to walk under guests.—
Todd Martens,
Los Angeles Times,
4 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
But Lacombe says that national data could be obscuring smaller trends that are underway in parts of the country.—
Harmeet Kaur,
CNN Money,
1 Feb. 2026
-
This team realized that finding the wake of a quark would be simpler if there were no second quark obscuring it.—
Robert Lea,
Space.com,
30 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Alarmists will often focus on the negative while passing over potential positive outcomes.—
Jeff Mayhugh,
Washington Post,
5 Jan. 2026
-
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
-
In New York, the publication dogged former Mayor Bill de Blasio’s progressive policies and his personal life, covering everything from his gym visits to his divorce in cringe-inducing detail.—
Max Tani,
semafor.com,
2 Feb. 2026
-
Democrats Menefee, a former Harris County attorney, and Amanda Edwards, a former member of Houston's city council, competed in a runoff to represent Texas' 18th Congressional District, a solidly Democratic area covering part of Houston and the surrounding region.—
Kate Perez,
USA Today,
2 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Papering over.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/papering%20over. Accessed 8 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
