as in to excuse
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 sugarcoat
Bluey tells compelling stories of emotional intelligence and regulation in a way that doesn’t feel sugarcoated and is hopeful rather than escapist.
—
Miranda Rake, Parents, 19 Feb. 2026
But Shiffrin rarely sugarcoats her feelings.
—Sean Gregory, Time, 10 Feb. 2026
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
Despite their clear affection for these women, the Dardenne brothers never sugarcoat their characters’ unenviable circumstance or latch onto phony bromides to alleviate our anxiety.
—Los Angeles Times, 16 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for sugarcoat
Miranda Rake, Parents, 19 Feb. 2026
But Shiffrin rarely sugarcoats her feelings.
—Sean Gregory, Time, 10 Feb. 2026
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
Despite their clear affection for these women, the Dardenne brothers never sugarcoat their characters’ unenviable circumstance or latch onto phony bromides to alleviate our anxiety.
—Los Angeles Times, 16 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for sugarcoat
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sugarcoat
Verb
-
Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers excused Musk from the witness stand Thursday, but he may be called back later.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
30 Apr. 2026
-
Esposito worries about a growing illusion that efficiency tools can excuse leaders from the hard, intimate work of sitting with another human being to face some difficult problem.—
William Jones,
USA Today,
28 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
And yet the media finds a way to conveniently explain away violence.—
Saman Shafiq,
USA Today,
30 Apr. 2026
-
Production is either exalted or explained away.—
Eddie Brown,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
23 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
At first, these moments can feel easy to rationalize.—
Lauryn Higgins,
Flow Space,
1 May 2026
-
What Gemini says, Pisces feels, and what Pisces senses, Gemini tries to rationalize.—
Valerie Mesa,
PEOPLE,
17 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
So far, that skepticism has appeared justified.—
Dan Santaromita,
New York Times,
27 Apr. 2026
-
This seeming deference to executive interests is particularly difficult to justify in an administration willing to flout court orders.—
Gregg Nunziata,
The Atlantic,
27 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Besides the driver, an amiable man who was happy to explain how the shredder worked, only a few nervous schoolchildren stood around, supervised by a woman with a badge that identified her as an envoy of the library.—
Mary Norris,
New Yorker,
1 May 2026
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The bulletin examined nutrition in common foods (especially meat, bread, and milk), explained how the body uses food as fuel, outlined dietary standards, and considered the economy of food, food waste, and connections between food and health.—
Encyclopedia Britannica,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
30 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Critics accuse it of trying to whitewash the nation’s history.—
Matthew Brown,
Los Angeles Times,
28 Apr. 2026
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This sparked criticism that the film was attempting to whitewash history by largely ignoring the controversies of Jackson's life.—
Brendan Morrow,
USA Today,
26 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Sugarcoat.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sugarcoat. Accessed 2 May. 2026.
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