1
as in to excuse
to make (something) seem less bad by offering excuses
I don't want to gloss over her misbehavior, but keep in mind that she's been under a lot of stress lately
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in to ignore
to dismiss as of little importance
this biographer tends to gloss over his subject's many character flaws
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for gloss (over)
Verb
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This creates a tension between excusing and exempting abuse.—
Mark Travers,
Forbes.com,
30 May 2025 -
But for her, the speculation doesn’t excuse what came next.—
Ashley Vega,
People.com,
29 May 2025
Verb
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Get best-in-class reporting that's too important to ignore for just $2.50 $1 per month for 1 year.—
Louryn Strampe,
Wired News,
24 May 2025
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India may still be building its tech future, but if the unicorn count is even half right, the scale of what’s coming is hard to ignore.—
Catherine Baab,
Quartz,
23 May 2025
Verb
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This tactic is sometimes used to justify letting an employee go under the guise of poor performance.—
Sho Dewan,
Forbes.com,
24 May 2025
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By confusing the idea that the people’s will must prevail with what the law actually says, these leaders justify intimidating judges and their sound legal rulings, a move that ultimately undermines democracy.—
Michael Gregory,
The Conversation,
23 May 2025
Verb
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But all those terms are — forgive the pun — on the outs.—
Hannah Edgar,
Chicago Tribune,
29 May 2025
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There are no limits to the number of donations per person, though fines will not be forgiven for library items that are lost or damaged.—
Orlando Sentinel Staff,
The Orlando Sentinel,
29 May 2025
Verb
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But in the late 19th century, Finkelstein explained, women who'd worked as nurses during the Civil War, even though not part of the Union or Confederate armies, lobbied for and won the right to be buried at Arlington.—
Phaedra Trethan,
USA Today,
27 May 2025
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Emma explains that the moment is extra special for her as an adult.—
Angela Andaloro,
People.com,
26 May 2025
Verb
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Overall, the move to focus on individual risks and benefits may overlook broader public health benefits.—
Libby Richards,
The Conversation,
29 May 2025
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The unlikely trio begins working backward, reexamining the missing person’s case and trying to determine what avenues and signs were previously overlooked.—
Aramide Tinubu,
Variety,
29 May 2025
Verb
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Pagels, rehabilitating aspects of Christianity on terms that a secular scholar can respect, revels in the contradictions and the inconsistencies not as flaws to be explained away but as signs of the faith’s capaciousness.—
Adam Gopnik,
The New Yorker,
24 Mar. 2025
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Given there were parent chaperones on the trip, students figured this would be hard to explain away, even for Green.—
Air Mail,
Air Mail,
3 May 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Gloss (over).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gloss%20%28over%29. Accessed 4 Jun. 2025.
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