as in to excuse
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
Mind you, this team won’t sugarcoat their reviews if the recipe isn’t good.
—
Alana Al-Hatlani, Southern Living, 26 Sep. 2025
Teachers intuited the connection between struggles and progress in families, and within history, and felt that the teaching of a complex history, one that did not sugarcoat the struggles, would build a more resilient classroom, community, and country.
—Annie Polland, Time, 25 Sep. 2025
There’s no way to sugarcoat this.
—Georgia Nicols, Denver Post, 10 Sep. 2025
That has to improve, and there is no sugarcoating it.
—Chad Graff, New York Times, 10 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for sugarcoat
Alana Al-Hatlani, Southern Living, 26 Sep. 2025
Teachers intuited the connection between struggles and progress in families, and within history, and felt that the teaching of a complex history, one that did not sugarcoat the struggles, would build a more resilient classroom, community, and country.
—Annie Polland, Time, 25 Sep. 2025
There’s no way to sugarcoat this.
—Georgia Nicols, Denver Post, 10 Sep. 2025
That has to improve, and there is no sugarcoating it.
—Chad Graff, New York Times, 10 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for sugarcoat
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sugarcoat
Verb
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While some on social media commended Curtis for having empathy toward someone with vastly different political views, others criticized her for appearing to excuse Kirk's controversial messaging, particularly his rejection of transgender people.—
Benjamin VanHoose,
PEOPLE,
28 Oct. 2025
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The fumble, of course, cannot be excused, but Henderson's development is essential to the Patriots fulfilling the best version of their offense.—
Andrew Callahan,
Boston Herald,
28 Oct. 2025
Verb
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But Ruff was clear that the injury situation doesn’t explain away what the Sabres looked like in the first three games.—
Matthew Fairburn,
New York Times,
16 Oct. 2025
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One downside of Oza’s model, Kipping notes, is that any fluctuations in the levels of sulfur dioxide, sodium and potassium observed on WASP-39b can be easily explained away as variability in eruptions.—
Nola Taylor Tillman,
Scientific American,
13 Oct. 2025
Verb
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This propensity for mental acrobatics, alongside his immense arrogance, was how Epstein rationalized his crimes to himself.—
Helen Lewis,
The Atlantic,
25 Oct. 2025
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Even if annual fees on premium credit cards continue to balloon and airlines continue to raise the threshold for elite status, both industries are wagering that travelers will rationalize those costs if the lounge experience is exclusive enough.—
AFAR Media,
AFAR Media,
23 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Critics also question whether demand will continue to grow at a fast enough pace to justify the investment.—
Sharon Goldman,
Fortune,
5 Nov. 2025
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Some investors are also skeptical whether future profit growth will continue to justify the enormous amounts of spending taking place.—
John Towfighi,
CNN Money,
5 Nov. 2025
Verb
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In March 2025, Chelsea gave PEOPLE an exclusive update on Max's health journey, explaining that their son has had to relearn basic functions and attend physical therapy.—
Emily Blackwood,
PEOPLE,
26 Oct. 2025
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The canal connected increasingly specialized regions in the early US, explains historian Roger Ransom.—
JSTOR Daily,
JSTOR Daily,
26 Oct. 2025
Verb
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To us, Nottoway’s transformation in the 1980s – from a brutal site of enslavement to a luxury resort and wedding venue – represented the Southern plantation tourist industry’s tendency to whitewash our past.—
Essence,
Essence,
29 Oct. 2025
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As America attempts to reclaim its pride by whitewashing its unflattering histories, Springsteen’s struggle to balance light and dark on these pointedly American recordings is tremendously poignant.—
Will Hermes,
Rolling Stone,
19 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Sugarcoat.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sugarcoat. Accessed 7 Nov. 2025.
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