1
as in ignores
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 justifies
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 rationalizations
Related Words
2
as in washouts
Related Words
Dissimilar Words
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of whitewashes
Los Angeles Times, 18 Jan. 2026
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for whitewashes
Verb
-
Still, the disagreements in the region have been hard to ignores.—
Jacqueline Charles,
Miami Herald,
28 Feb. 2026
-
Connecticut currently regulates licensed cannabis with a level of intensity that ignores relative risk.—
Rino Ferrarese,
Hartford Courant,
27 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
This justifies using the average premium SVOD churn rate, even though Paramount+ has traditionally fallen short of it.—
Andrew Root,
Sportico.com,
27 Feb. 2026
-
The constraint, Dolci says, is not audience demand – the performance of existing screens more than justifies expansion – but the availability of suitable sites.—
Naman Ramachandran,
Variety,
27 Feb. 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
-
There is no blanket federal program that automatically forgives credit card debt simply because someone is a veteran.—
Angelica Leicht,
CBS News,
3 Mar. 2026
-
Sinnott forgives his parents, and parents today who waver on vaccination.—
Arthur Allen,
Miami Herald,
28 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
In professional sports, excuses age quickly.—
Mike Bianchi,
The Orlando Sentinel,
21 Feb. 2026
-
The rep excuses herself; in the hallway, Stephen congratulates Lucy.—
JP Mangalindan,
Time,
17 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
The home’s glass-and-stone architecture overlooks one of the region’s defining natural corridors.—
David Caraccio
March 7,
Sacbee.com,
7 Mar. 2026
-
The main level has oak wood flooring, a living room with an 11-foot ceiling, and a gas fireplace and overlooks Bellevue Place.—
Lauryn Azu,
Chicago Tribune,
5 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
But they were chosen as the targets for the Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) to assess our planetary defense capabilities, Makadia explains.—
Jackie Flynn Mogensen,
Scientific American,
6 Mar. 2026
-
In the first episode, the peacemaking mission between Josh and Seth, in rural Montana, completely falls apart, and the mediator—who explains that this is his first official mediation—mostly just stands there as the neighbors trade insults and issue threats.—
Tyler Foggatt,
New Yorker,
6 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Even alternative archives require selection, embellishment, and decisions about emphasis whose rationales may not always be clear.—
Anel Rakhimzhanova,
Artforum,
1 Mar. 2026
-
For Warsh’s critics, the issue is that his rationales have been incoherent, with no discernible pattern except for advocating higher rates under Democrats and lower rates under Republicans.—
Business Columnist,
Los Angeles Times,
3 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Whitewashes.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/whitewashes. Accessed 9 Mar. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
