papered over

verb

past tense of paper over
1
as in ignored
to dismiss as of little importance the differences between the two factions are too great to be papered over in the name of party unity

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in concealed
to keep secret or shut off from view the company tried to paper over its red ink, issuing assurances that it was still financially sound

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 papered over The lumbering left fielder whose poor defense can be papered over with excellent positioning suddenly will have to cover more ground. — Ian Miller Outkick, FOXNews.com, 13 Oct. 2026 Although the history of British colonialism is every bit as violent as the history of slavery, it’s just been papered over with Queen Victoria and niceties. — Zac Ntim, Deadline, 29 July 2026 The maintenance burden gets papered over until the next refactor exposes it. — Asad Khan, Forbes.com, 28 July 2026 The emotional high of victory papered over the cracks, though. — The Athletic Uk Staff, New York Times, 16 July 2026 The contradictions of their closeness aren’t papered over; the unease is allowed to linger, inflamed and ineradicable. — Emily Nussbaum, New Yorker, 9 July 2026 Clean sheets against an Australian team that barely attacked and a Bosnia and Herzegovina team that lacked punch going forward papered over huge problems in the defensive line. — Kevin Dotson, CNN Money, 6 July 2026 The deficits were papered over with a series of short-term fixes, including loans and accounting gimmicks. — Dan Walters, Mercury News, 19 May 2026 Her transgression is one of the worst things imaginable; in a way, what Emma is hiding stems from a societal ill that gets papered over every day. — David Sims, The Atlantic, 3 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for papered over
  1. ignored
  2. concealed
  3. overlooked
  4. obscured
  5. explained
  6. covered
  7. passed over
  8. suppressed
Verb
  • That got ignored, as indicated by the five salmon packages, sitting in the walk-in cooler, still in the packaging and defrosted.
    — David J. Neal, Miami Herald, 16 Oct. 2026
  • The Villa Borghese is full of ancient marble statues, which Leo largely ignored.
    — Jeanne Bonner, CNN Money, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of ignored
Verb
  • That modest national gain concealed sharply different experiences at opposite ends of the age spectrum.
    — Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 17 Oct. 2026
  • Their deaths had been concealed, and their remains buried on site.
    — The Week UK, TheWeek, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of concealed
Verb
  • Even though the libero position tends to get overlooked, Calle loves playing there.
    — Jeff Vorva, Chicago Tribune, 14 Oct. 2026
  • Inspired by documentary footage, the work draws attention to a quieter, often overlooked dimension of labor activism.
    — Sarah Belmont for ArtNews, Robb Report, 14 Oct. 2026
Definition of overlooked
Verb
  • The Barnes & Noble—a wide, flat building in gray brick—was obscured by an enormous construction crane.
    — Nathan Heller, New Yorker, 19 Oct. 2026
  • What resonated most for me, though, was witnessing conversations where depth of understanding unveiled perspectives previously obscured.
    — Pravir Malik, Forbes.com, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of obscured
Verb
  • From Texas to beyond The couple initially considered limiting their contribution to Texas, Michael explained at the event, before deciding to expand the initiative nationwide.
    — Sydney Lake, Fortune, 17 Oct. 2026
  • Spagnuolo explained that the recognition is awarded only after a Chiefs victory, with the coaching staff putting together a highlight tape the following Saturday morning.
    — Pete Sweeney, Kansas City Star, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of explained
Verb
  • Other suites are even more striking, covered from head to toe in a flora wallpaper and bright, colorful custom furniture.
    — Nicole Hoey, Robb Report, 15 Oct. 2026
  • Construction crews stripped the president's name from the exterior in June, but the front portico of the building has since been covered by a tarp, concealing most of its name.
    — Melissa Quinn, CBS News, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of covered
Verb
  • The firm launched about a year after Mayer was passed over as a potential successor to Bob Iger and exited the media giant.
    — Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 13 Oct. 2026
  • For generations, the series showed, white men had dominated the department, while Black and women firefighters had been ostracized and put in danger, shut out of the most desirable fire stations and passed over for promotions.
    — Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 9 Oct. 2026
Definition of passed over
Verb
  • The flip side of this is that more hectic environments, like a busy cafe, aren’t so easily suppressed.
    — Mark Knapp, PC Magazine, 15 Oct. 2026
  • Those odds are still likely suppressed by the notion the Fed will avoid raising rates just before an election.
    — Fred Imbert, CNBC, 14 Oct. 2026
Definition of suppressed

Browse Nearby Words

paperbounds
papered over
papering over
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Cite this Entry

“Papered over.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/papered%20over. Accessed 21 Oct. 2026.

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