1
as in to ignore
to dismiss as of little importance
refused to whitewash the governor's chronic disregard for the truth
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to excuse
to make (something) seem less bad by offering excuses
don't try to whitewash your rudeness by claiming that you were having a bad day
Synonyms & Similar Words
1
as in vindication
Related Words
2
as in washout
Related Words
Dissimilar Words
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of whitewash
Los Angeles Times, 18 Jan. 2026
Visitors and locals alike appreciate the Spanish Colonial Revival-style architecture, whitewashed adobe buildings, and red-tile roofs nestled at the foot of the Santa Ynez Mountains, bordering the Pacific Ocean.
—Chantelle Kincy, Travel + Leisure, 10 Jan. 2026
Laylan Connelly, Oc Register, 3 Aug. 2025
With a professional tour record of 6–0 over Australian sides, the Lions now aim to secure a 3–0 series whitewash on Australian soil for the first time since 1974.
—Kilty Cleary, MSNBC Newsweek, 26 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for whitewash
Verb
The biography is presented as a clear-eyed and evenhanded examination of Reid’s complex legacy that neither whitewashes his methods nor diminishes his accomplishments.
—Los Angeles Times, 18 Jan. 2026
Visitors and locals alike appreciate the Spanish Colonial Revival-style architecture, whitewashed adobe buildings, and red-tile roofs nestled at the foot of the Santa Ynez Mountains, bordering the Pacific Ocean.
—Chantelle Kincy, Travel + Leisure, 10 Jan. 2026
Noun
By the afternoon, the sun broke through, 4-to 6-foot surf giving the surfers plenty of opportunities, at times the whitewash so powerful water licked the bottom of the concrete pier.
—Laylan Connelly, Oc Register, 3 Aug. 2025
With a professional tour record of 6–0 over Australian sides, the Lions now aim to secure a 3–0 series whitewash on Australian soil for the first time since 1974.
—Kilty Cleary, MSNBC Newsweek, 26 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for whitewash
Recent Examples of Synonyms for whitewash
Verb
-
And ignoring that fact is now no longer a laughing matter.—
Joshua Kloke,
New York Times,
28 Jan. 2026
-
All of these teens had in fact ignored their notices to appear.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
28 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Twigg accordingly excused McKinley.—
Mia Cathell,
The Washington Examiner,
29 Jan. 2026
-
In other words, this bill wouldn’t excuse South Dakota residents from the current federal requirements for suppressor ownership.—
Natalie Krebs,
Outdoor Life,
29 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
But that the winning goal arrived through Enderby from the bench was its own form of vindication.—
Megan Feringa,
New York Times,
30 Jan. 2026
-
Capote finds little vindication there.—
Patrick Radden Keefe,
New Yorker,
11 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Expectations going up after two straight Playoff washouts.—
Jason Kirk,
New York Times,
16 Jan. 2026
-
In optimal conditions, most vehicles can make it, but high clearance is strongly recommended—especially in winter and after storms, when washouts, flooding, or snow accumulation are possible.—
Taryn Shorr-Mckee,
Travel + Leisure,
12 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Former Patriots called out the team for not giving Mayo a fair shot, but after replacing Mayo with Mike Vrabel, all is forgiven.—
Ryan Morik,
FOXNews.com,
30 Jan. 2026
-
Knowing this, you’d be forgiven for having difficulty differentiating one bear from another.—
Andrew Paul,
Popular Science,
29 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Howard, who had served as a second lieutenant with the Ninety‑Second Division, 366th Infantry in France during World War I, accused President Truman of using the Cold War to justify a sweeping peacetime expansion of America’s global military footprint.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
27 Jan. 2026
-
And yet Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem claims that the agents were justified despite evidence so clear that it can be found unedited on YouTube.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
27 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
But in almost secure ones, minor discomfort is so chronic that people slip into rationalization.—
Mark Travers,
Forbes.com,
23 Jan. 2026
-
Industry sources expect a dramatic rationalization of the store base.—
Footwear News,
Footwear News,
14 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Snapp, the drug policy researcher, insists that Mexico’s ban is a setback by removing a safer alternative to cigarettes.—
María Verza,
Fortune,
31 Jan. 2026
-
The greater setback was at the senior Red Bull team after Isack Hadjar, who stepped up from Racing Bulls for 2026, crashed in just his second day behind the wheel of the RB22 car.—
Luke Smith,
New York Times,
31 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Whitewash.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/whitewash. Accessed 2 Feb. 2026.
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