glossed (over)

verb

past tense of gloss (over)
1
as in excused
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 ignored
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 glossed (over)
  1. excused
  2. ignored
  3. explained
  4. overlooked
  5. justified
  6. passed over
  7. explained away
  8. whitewashed
Verb
  • The jury requested to be excused for the day hours after telling Judge William Sullivan that it was deadlocked and could not reach a unanimous decision.
    — Corky Siemaszko, NBC news, 1 Sep. 2026
  • As Korean growth picks up, President Lee Jae Myung could be excused for thinking his job as an economic reformer is done.
    — William Pesek, Forbes.com, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of excused
Verb
  • All three projects—the ballroom, the arch, and the Kennedy Center—may soon be moving forward simultaneously, red tape cleared (or ignored).
    — Janay Kingsberry, The Atlantic, 5 Sep. 2026
  • What mattered was that the project ignored the fact that a ship is nothing but the tip of a very long logistical, regulatory, and infrastructure spear.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 4 Sep. 2026
Definition of ignored
Verb
  • Judge William Sullivan, who is presiding over the Clancy trial, explained the prosecution's burden of proof beyond a reasonable doubt after receiving a new note from the jury Thursday afternoon.
    — Michael Ruiz, FOXNews.com, 4 Sep. 2026
  • After receiving assessment results, a teacher customizes a curriculum built for a student’s needs, Tanner explained.
    — Emma Hall, Sacbee.com, 4 Sep. 2026
Definition of explained
Verb
  • What often gets overlooked, the run Herman did knock in turned out to be the winning run in the game.
    — Assistant Sports Editor, Los Angeles Times, 4 Sep. 2026
  • No detail is overlooked—from antiques and scents to cheeky notes tucked in unexpected corners, the experience is intimate, playful, and deeply personal.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of overlooked
Verb
  • Dedicated reconstruction funds are common in postconflict states, and a sovereign wealth fund may be justified to streamline the management of fragmented, distressed, and historically poorly managed public assets.
    — Jesse Marks, Foreign Affairs, 31 Aug. 2026
  • Chami noted that the price for working with content creators varies from $250-$1,000 per post, and justified rates that are on the higher end of the spectrum.
    — Lyndsay C. Green, Freep.com, 30 Aug. 2026
Definition of justified
Verb
  • The Authority said 489,255 vehicles passed over the bridge in June 2026.
    — Jalen Williams, Freep.com, 1 Sep. 2026
  • He’s particularly drawn to episodes that are discomforting for his countrymen—the Dreyfus Affair, and, a recent obsession, French accommodation in Nazi rule during the Occupation, a national embarrassment that was long passed over in silence.
    — David Denby, New Yorker, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of passed over
Verb
  • There are other options, but regardless of what’s on the table for the future, burnout deserves to be taken seriously rather than explained away out of pride, guilt, or habit.
    — Scott Hanson, Forbes.com, 2 July 2026
  • Certainly, there are swing issues that can’t be explained away by a good week at Triple-A.
    — John Shipley, Twin Cities, 29 May 2026
Definition of explained away
Verb
  • Polished stone-tile floors, whitewashed walls, and spacious bathrooms are common elements of all the rooms.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 20 Aug. 2026
  • The one-bedroom space is minimal, deliberately quiet, and whitewashed.
    — Katharine Sohn, Architectural Digest, 17 Aug. 2026
Definition of whitewashed
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.

Browse Nearby Words

glossed
glossed (over)
glosses
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Cite this Entry

“Glossed (over).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/glossed%20%28over%29. Accessed 6 Sep. 2026.

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