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
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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
-
Alyssa Farah Griffin attempted to cut in, with Navarro ignoring her in the moment.—
Joey Nolfi,
Entertainment Weekly,
9 Jan. 2026
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James said the administration has not provided evidence of fraud or misuse of child care funding in New York, while ignoring the standard processes for withholding such funds.—
Cayla Bamberger,
New York Daily News,
9 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Gallery Wall Wood Frame Set If your resolution includes finally framing photos that have been hiding in your phone for months, this set is a must.—
Rachel Trujillo,
PEOPLE,
11 Jan. 2026
-
The leader of the country was hiding for twelve days.—
Isaac Chotiner,
New Yorker,
10 Jan. 2026
Verb
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We were impressed by the spacious interior, which was large enough to easily fit our entire four-day packing list and left ample room for an extra few outfits or souvenirs thanks to the brand’s forgiving free-flex zipper technology.—
Sophie Dodd,
Travel + Leisure,
4 Nov. 2025
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It was mismanaged for years until recently, when former President Joe Biden reformed it, ultimately forgiving billions of dollars in debt for more than 1 million Americans.—
Zachary Schermele,
USA Today,
30 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Shoplifting by concealing merchandise.—
Isabelle Friedman,
Boston Herald,
5 Nov. 2025
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Yet the nonprofit appears to be concealing this from visitors to its website, where a search function, the only nontechnical tool for seeing what’s in Common Crawl’s archives, returns misleading results for certain domains.—
Alex Reisner,
The Atlantic,
4 Nov. 2025
Verb
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With just 13 bedrooms overlooking Bantry Bay, the hotel stands as an intimate ode to art and viticulture.—
Emily Baldwin,
Travel + Leisure,
8 Nov. 2025
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From his apartment overlooking the Narta Lagoon in Albania’s picturesque south, 72-year-old Jorgaq Subashi can glimpse the land he was awarded in 1993 as part of the government’s attempt to return property.—
Lindita Cela,
Miami Herald,
7 Nov. 2025
Verb
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This International Dark Sky Park, located in southwest Texas, is about a six-hour drive from San Antonio, the nearest city, so there won't be much light pollution obscuring your views of the constellations.—
Elizabeth Rhodes,
Travel + Leisure,
10 Jan. 2026
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Yet this focus on the moment of capture risks obscuring the more consequential lesson.—
Cristina Guevara,
Chicago Tribune,
7 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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Emma Burleigh is a reporter at Fortune, covering success, careers, entrepreneurship, and personal finance.—
Emma Burleigh,
Fortune,
9 Nov. 2025
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Bedford said during the news conference that air traffic controllers continuing to work during the shutdown are covering longer hours and more days.—
David Ferrara,
Cincinnati Enquirer,
9 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Papering over.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/papering%20over. Accessed 12 Jan. 2026.
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