papering over

verb

present participle of paper over
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

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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 But many residents worry that the festive mood and infrastructure works risk papering over the security crisis that still affects their daily lives. — Bloomberg, Mercury News, 4 June 2026 The improvement between Gemini 2 and Gemini 3 may be papering over a more serious flaw. — Frank Landymore, Futurism, 8 Apr. 2026 Yet the money manager remains hopeful that fiscal stimulus — more government spending coupled with consumer and business tax breaks — from last year's One Big Beautiful Bill will start to take effect in a few months, papering over any nascent economic weakness. — Sarah Min, CNBC, 20 Feb. 2026 If lawmakers are serious about affordability and homeownership, this is the structural reform that actually solves the problem rather than papering over it. — Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 14 Feb. 2026 But the results were papering over some crumbly performances. — Carl Anka, New York Times, 19 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for papering over
  1. ignoring
  2. hiding
  3. forgiving
  4. concealing
  5. overlooking
  6. obscuring
  7. passing over
  8. covering
Verb
  • Missing a real pattern, like ignoring the rustle that was a tiger, could be fatal, while seeing a false one costs only a little adrenaline.
    — Josh Brown,Sean Russo, CNBC, 12 Nov. 2026
  • Brown was reportedly attempting to talk to Teyana Taylor, who was ignoring him (amazing) at a skating-rink birthday party, and Usher tried to interfere.
    — Jason P. Frank, Vulture, 11 Nov. 2026
Definition of ignoring
Verb
  • President Barack Obama had gathered his advisors to assess intelligence that indicated Osama Bin Laden was hiding in a compound in Abbottabad, Pakistan.
    — Keren Yarhi-Milo, Time, 8 Nov. 2026
  • San Diego professes pride in high graduation rates, but this is a chimera hiding the sad truth of how far our educational leaders will go to look good.
    — U T Readers, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 Nov. 2026
Definition of hiding
Verb
  • Acton, who led Ohio’s Covid-19 response, prioritized protecting the accessibility of Medicaid, forgiving medical debt, tackling surprise billing, and creating a new prescription drug plan to lower costs.
    — Sarah Todd, STAT, 4 Nov. 2026
  • The remarkably, borderline unbelievably forgiving Adams became good friends with her ex-husband.
    — Hadley Hall Meares, Vanity Fair, 20 Oct. 2026
Definition of forgiving
Verb
  • Teriyaki became ubiquitous, the Japanese name concealing its hometown heritage.
    — Allecia Vermillion, Bon Appetit Magazine, 2 Nov. 2026
  • For even, pore-concealing results, blend the formula out from the center of your face.
    — Jacqueline Tempera, PEOPLE, 30 Oct. 2026
Definition of concealing
Verb
  • All come with vast mesmerizing views, some overlooking the lake, others facing the green valley, some have terraces; the lake view royal suite has its own rooftop terrace.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 7 Nov. 2026
  • The dining room and lounge open to a patio overlooking a heated in-ground pool and cabana.
    — Kaitlyn Keegan, Hartford Courant, 7 Nov. 2026
Definition of overlooking
Verb
  • Other finalists include photos of mist rolling over hills in Vietnam, a massive chunk of ice calving from a glacier in Argentina and smoke from wildfires obscuring the New York City skyline.
    — Jack Guy, CNN Money, 2 Nov. 2026
  • Spectral Lilac Lilac nods to early morning mist floating over an eerily still lake, or obscuring your path through a twisting forest.
    — Ariel Wodarcyk, InStyle, 24 Oct. 2026
Definition of obscuring
Verb
  • Expect Trinidad Chambliss, picked off three times by Texas, to be better against an Auburn defense that’s allowed over 700 yards passing over last two games.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 28 Oct. 2026
  • The probability of a hurricane passing over any particular point is low, especially farther from the Mexican coast, since most Pacific hurricanes tend to stay closer to Mexico.
    — Nicholas Grondin, The Conversation, 9 Sep. 2026
Definition of passing over
Verb
  • For additional protection, consider applying beneficial nematodes to the soil as a biological control and then covering the area with a fresh layer of worm castings.
    — Rita Perwich, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 Nov. 2026
  • If removing the annuals leaves bare soil, Gifford recommends covering it with shredded leaves rather than exposing it to winter weather.
    — Madeline Buiano, Martha Stewart, 7 Nov. 2026
Definition of covering

Browse Nearby Words

papered over
papering over
paper money
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Cite this Entry

“Papering over.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/papering%20over. Accessed 14 Nov. 2026.

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