as in sentimental
appealing to the emotions in an obvious and tiresome way
those sugarcoated versions of family life that old TV sitcoms portrayed
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in explained
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 sugarcoated
Miranda Rake, Parents, 19 Feb. 2026
For its part, Housewives has sugarcoated neither Gay’s clashes with the Mormon Church and subsequent estrangement from some friends and family members, nor the painful excommunication of her castmate and cousin Whitney Rose.
—Judy Berman, Time, 12 Nov. 2025
That independence is crucial for thorough, unbiased assessments and findings based solely on evidence, rather than sugarcoated conclusions that Congress or the president wants.
—Ross Rosenfeld, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 Aug. 2025
Verb
Bluey tells compelling stories of emotional intelligence and regulation in a way that doesn’t feel sugarcoated and is hopeful rather than escapist.
—Miranda Rake, Parents, 19 Feb. 2026
For its part, Housewives has sugarcoated neither Gay’s clashes with the Mormon Church and subsequent estrangement from some friends and family members, nor the painful excommunication of her castmate and cousin Whitney Rose.
—Judy Berman, Time, 12 Nov. 2025
That independence is crucial for thorough, unbiased assessments and findings based solely on evidence, rather than sugarcoated conclusions that Congress or the president wants.
—Ross Rosenfeld, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sugarcoated
Adjective
-
But Kore-eda is more interested in a smiley-happy outcome of mutual accord, which is pushed into sentimental overdrive by increasingly cloying slatherings of Bandoh’s score.—
David Rooney,
HollywoodReporter,
16 May 2026
-
But there’s another side of Lennon that was almost the sentimental counter- reaction to his own cynicism.—
Owen Gleiberman,
Variety,
15 May 2026
Verb
-
Denise had explained that Djena didn’t have the necessary paperwork to enroll.—
Yudhijit Bhattacharjee,
New Yorker,
18 May 2026
-
Special props to the jolly axe-throwing head of adventure, Nye Rees; personable Brasserie maitre d’, Javier Padron; and trainer Peter Sullivan, who explained the finer points of fasting for women whilst crucifying my glutes.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
18 May 2026
Adjective
-
Belonging to the same group of mammals as sloths and anteaters, armadillos are voracious insectivores that eat large numbers of beetles, grubs, ants, termites, and other insects, grabbing them with their sticky tongues.—
Arricca Elin SanSone,
Southern Living,
19 May 2026
-
If a creature is small enough to swallow and not spiny or sticky or otherwise resists Yoshi's tongue, it will be turned into a green egg that's the series standard.—
Will Greenwald,
PC Magazine,
19 May 2026
Verb
-
Project 2025 justified its proposal to eliminate EEO-1 data collection based on concerns that the data could lead employers to adopt racial hiring quotas.—
Michelle Travis,
Forbes.com,
16 May 2026
-
The planes were unarmed, but the Cuban government justified the shootings, arguing the organization had dropped leaflets over Havana in previous incidents.—
Nora Gámez Torres,
Miami Herald,
15 May 2026
Adjective
-
These Amazon finds are made for petite travelers who want to stay comfortable without defaulting to sloppy sweats.—
Chaise Sanders,
Travel + Leisure,
14 May 2026
-
Spurs seemed to run out of energy and their passing became sloppy.—
Beren Cross,
New York Times,
11 May 2026
Adjective
-
The movie is simultaneously more depressing than the original and more saccharine, with a repellent amount of affection between characters who should know better.—
Amy Nicholson,
Los Angeles Times,
29 Apr. 2026
-
The symbol of the rainbow is saccharine, an easy metaphor, but who cares.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
29 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The living room features whitewashed stone walls, a curved plaster fireplace, and polished concrete floors, while the kitchen has flat-front wood cabinets, a waterfall eat-in island, and exposed wood ceilings above clerestory windows.—
The Week US,
TheWeek,
11 May 2026
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The island’s whitewashed, clifftop village offers romantic views of the Aegean Sea, and a steep, zig-zagging path climbs up the hillside to a church.—
Nicole Kliest,
Vogue,
23 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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For a healthier dirty soda, start with a sparkling water base, add fresh juice or fruit puree instead of sugary syrup, and mix in low-fat or nonfat milks or creamers.—
Lisa Rapaport,
EverydayHealth.com,
18 May 2026
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The podcast sponsors include the Southern Company, a major utility; the American Beverage Association, which represents the makers of sugary soda; Polymarket, an online prediction market; and the Merchants Payments Coalition, a group pushing for legislation to reduce credit-card swipe fees.—
Michael Scherer,
The Atlantic,
15 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Sugarcoated.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sugarcoated. Accessed 21 May. 2026.
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