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 is no sugarcoating the depth of disagreement between public health and MAHA over some life-and-death interventions such as vaccines.
—
Tom W. Johnson, STAT, 26 Jan. 2026
There’s no sugarcoating it—more intricate lace nail art can be tricky to nail (pun intended) for beginners.
—Catharine Malzahn, Glamour, 27 Dec. 2025
There’s no use sugarcoating it—MGP has hit a bit of a rough patch over the past year.
—Jonah Flicker, Robb Report, 14 Dec. 2025
Firstly, Fabian has a knack for sugarcoating unwelcome news.
—Brian Davids, HollywoodReporter, 28 Nov. 2025
This is your cue to stop sugarcoating.
—Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 6 Nov. 2025
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
Tom W. Johnson, STAT, 26 Jan. 2026
There’s no sugarcoating it—more intricate lace nail art can be tricky to nail (pun intended) for beginners.
—Catharine Malzahn, Glamour, 27 Dec. 2025
There’s no use sugarcoating it—MGP has hit a bit of a rough patch over the past year.
—Jonah Flicker, Robb Report, 14 Dec. 2025
Firstly, Fabian has a knack for sugarcoating unwelcome news.
—Brian Davids, HollywoodReporter, 28 Nov. 2025
This is your cue to stop sugarcoating.
—Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 6 Nov. 2025
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sugarcoating
Verb
-
Jupiter in your 3rd House of Discourse backs you up, so a thoughtful chat with a teammate can rally useful support by explaining who does what.—
Tarot.com,
Sun Sentinel,
5 Mar. 2026
-
This article is part of a series explaining foreign policy terms commonly used but rarely explained.—
Andrew Latham,
The Conversation,
3 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Experts say this rationale is a new way of justifying bringing users’ content back to life.—
Jacqueline Munis,
Fortune,
3 Mar. 2026
-
Bonds are supposed to be for capital investments — improvements that will last for years, justifying the long-term cost of financing them.—
The Editorial Board,
Chicago Tribune,
27 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Americans must hold the president to a higher standard and stop excusing him like a misbehaving child from a broken home.—
The Editorial Board,
Oc Register,
7 Feb. 2026
-
But there’s no excusing Josh Allen’s four turnovers.—
Nick Canepa,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
24 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
At federal facilities commemorating important moments in the nation’s history, there is a wave of whitewashing rushing through.—
Ray Mark Rinaldi,
Denver Post,
16 Feb. 2026
-
From the whitewashing controversy to the toxic love to the daring costumes, the discourse is going to be discoursing.—
Kathleen Newman-Bremang,
Refinery29,
13 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Sugarcoating.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sugarcoating. Accessed 9 Mar. 2026.
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