as in justifies
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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Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sugarcoats
Verb
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Even the National Rifle Association has rebuked a federal prosecutor who suggested that approaching law enforcement with a gun justifies being shot.—
Binaifer Nowrojee,
Time,
30 Jan. 2026 -
In an age when polarized politics have whipped extremists into a frenzy and disagreeing with someone’s views justifies physical assault among fringe elements, the assault on Omar is a new abysmal milestone of societal degradation.—
Boston Herald editorial staff,
Boston Herald,
29 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Accidental ingestion is safe for healthy adults, says Wang, who explains that the hard outer coating of citrus seeds prevents the release of potential toxins, allowing the seeds to pass through the body undigested.—
Stacey Lastoe,
Southern Living,
30 Jan. 2026
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Carmi explains that progress was not linear for him, but the journey still feels well worth the challenges.—
Madison E. Goldberg,
PEOPLE,
30 Jan. 2026
Verb
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There may have been grains of truth in his complaints—Denmark’s neglect of the island, America’s long-standing interest in acquiring it, the implications of new sea lanes as its ice melts, the rising importance of security in the Arctic—but nothing excuses Trump’s behavior or language.—
Eliot A. Cohen,
The Atlantic,
23 Jan. 2026
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Nick excuses the killing of Renee Good for blocking traffic, but the videos clearly show that traffic was going around her.—
Voice of the People,
New York Daily News,
14 Jan. 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Sugarcoats.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sugarcoats. Accessed 5 Feb. 2026.
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