as in explaining
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 sugarcoating
There was no sugarcoating their first loss in four games to start the season.
—
Elliott Teaford, Oc Register, 28 Sep. 2025
That has to improve, and there is no sugarcoating it.
—Chad Graff, New York Times, 10 Sep. 2025
What Compassionate Leadership Looks Like Compassionate leadership doesn’t mean avoiding hard decisions or sugarcoating the truth.
—Kiran Mann, Forbes.com, 3 Sep. 2025
Nunemaker said the search committee tried to give Sajet a realistic picture of the museum, the board and Milwaukee as a place to live without sugarcoating or underselling anything.
—Jim Higgins, jsonline.com, 3 Sep. 2025
Special team woes continue There’s no sugarcoating it, the Horned Frogs have issues on special teams after another rough day by the unit.
—Steven Johnson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 17 Aug. 2025
In lieu of sugarcoating the possibility of being made whole again and/or overstating the extent to which a mutual understanding might allow these characters to identify their common enemy, the film cannonballs into the grim absurdity of a world that’s lost control of itself.
—David Ehrlich, IndieWire, 6 Aug. 2025
Elliott Teaford, Oc Register, 28 Sep. 2025
That has to improve, and there is no sugarcoating it.
—Chad Graff, New York Times, 10 Sep. 2025
What Compassionate Leadership Looks Like Compassionate leadership doesn’t mean avoiding hard decisions or sugarcoating the truth.
—Kiran Mann, Forbes.com, 3 Sep. 2025
Nunemaker said the search committee tried to give Sajet a realistic picture of the museum, the board and Milwaukee as a place to live without sugarcoating or underselling anything.
—Jim Higgins, jsonline.com, 3 Sep. 2025
Special team woes continue There’s no sugarcoating it, the Horned Frogs have issues on special teams after another rough day by the unit.
—Steven Johnson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 17 Aug. 2025
In lieu of sugarcoating the possibility of being made whole again and/or overstating the extent to which a mutual understanding might allow these characters to identify their common enemy, the film cannonballs into the grim absurdity of a world that’s lost control of itself.
—David Ehrlich, IndieWire, 6 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sugarcoating
Verb
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The sheriff rebutted these calls by explaining that due to the executive order signed by Braun in January and related directives from Attorney General Todd Rokita, he was forced to comply with federal immigration efforts.—
Noe Padilla,
IndyStar,
31 Oct. 2025
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And politicians often use them as a way of explaining why things are going in a wrong direction, instead of taking responsibility for whatever goes wrong, or simply to raise fear.—
Etan Vlessing,
HollywoodReporter,
31 Oct. 2025
Verb
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For now, Yamamoto is on top of the world, justifying every dollar of the $325 million investment the Dodgers made in him.—
Jackson Roberts,
MSNBC Newsweek,
26 Oct. 2025
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Giuffre takes an interest in Epstein’s own self-justifying attitude toward his crimes.—
Helen Lewis,
The Atlantic,
25 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Some Republicans and Democrats criticized Vance’s response for excusing or downplaying the nature of the chat messages.—
Amanda Castro,
MSNBC Newsweek,
17 Oct. 2025
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Celebrating or excusing violence is abhorrent.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
21 Sep. 2025
Verb
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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
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Film workers for Palestine target those complicit, film companies and institutions, that are whitewashing or justifying Israel’s genocide in Gaza and its apartheid regime.—
Minyvonne Burke,
NBC news,
15 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Sugarcoating.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sugarcoating. Accessed 5 Nov. 2025.
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