as in to explain
to talk about or describe (something) in a way that makes it seem more pleasant or acceptable than it is
textbooks that sugarcoat history She has very strong opinions, and she doesn't try to sugarcoat them.
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Recent Examples of sugarcoat
These women share advice ranging from diet to fitness to mental health, and their messaging is not, er, sugarcoated.
—
Gracie Wiener, Air Mail, 3 May 2025
There’s no way to sugarcoat this: The Milwaukee Bucks are done.
—John Hollinger, New York Times, 29 Apr. 2025
To sugarcoat his perspective in order to make nice and be invited to galas.
—Chadd Scott, Forbes.com, 6 May 2025
Get ready for a ‘Category 5 Price Storm’ Wedbush Securities analyst Dan Ives is not sugarcoating the upcoming economic forecast for U.S. consumers.
—Quartz Staff, Quartz, 9 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for sugarcoat
Gracie Wiener, Air Mail, 3 May 2025
There’s no way to sugarcoat this: The Milwaukee Bucks are done.
—John Hollinger, New York Times, 29 Apr. 2025
To sugarcoat his perspective in order to make nice and be invited to galas.
—Chadd Scott, Forbes.com, 6 May 2025
Get ready for a ‘Category 5 Price Storm’ Wedbush Securities analyst Dan Ives is not sugarcoating the upcoming economic forecast for U.S. consumers.
—Quartz Staff, Quartz, 9 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for sugarcoat
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sugarcoat
Verb
-
This sterile male technique, previously explained to Newsweek by Texas A&M Professor Phillip Kaufman, works because female screwworm flies mate only once—flooding areas with sterile males prevents successful reproduction.—
Adeola Adeosun,
MSNBC Newsweek,
1 July 2025
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This uptick helps explain why monthly sales of the pouches more than tripled between 2021 and 2024, even as usage in adults remains low—under 3% report ever popping one in, though that number is higher among folks who currently smoke (11%) or once did (7%).—
Erica Sloan,
SELF,
1 July 2025
Verb
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In our opinion, this favorable trend justifies an upward revision of its valuation multiple.—
Trefis Team,
Forbes.com,
30 June 2025
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In recent weeks, the Trump administration has used constitutional maneuvers invented to enforce the Fugitive Slave Act to justify using troops to round up immigrants.—
Sonja Sharp,
Los Angeles Times,
28 June 2025
Verb
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This is what happens when incitement is normalized and hate is excused under the guise of political expression.—
Lisa Katz,
New York Daily News,
22 June 2025
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More covert and implicit behaviors are also easier for abusers to deflect, excuse away, and blame their partner for.—
Maia Niguel Hoskin,
Forbes.com,
20 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Sugarcoat.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sugarcoat. Accessed 4 Jul. 2025.
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