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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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 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 The structural failures that are the true roots of the region's turmoil—not Tehran—will go unaddressed, papered over by the noise and urgency of the conflict. — Frederic Wehrey, Time, 24 Mar. 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
  • Neighbors said their complaints about the empty lot were ignored for years until a fire burned part of the property and neighbor Kayt Miranda's garage early on Wednesday morning.
    — Joy Benedict, CBS News, 28 Aug. 2026
  • The stock that spent two years being ignored by the same investors who loaded up on Hilton and Marriott is now having its moment.
    — Josh Brown,Sean Russo, CNBC, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of ignored
Verb
  • The original complaint cited those reports in arguing that Meta’s privacy marketing concealed the existence of a human-review pipeline.
    — Joshua Hong, Fortune, 4 Sep. 2026
  • That's because the sink and invisible dual-burner induction cooktop are concealed below a sliding top that works just like a bar or table when retracted.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 2 Sep. 2026
Definition of concealed
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
  • Many of her photographs were attributed to Capa, which obscured her contribution once Friedmann adopted the name for himself alone.
    — Leo Barraclough, Variety, 2 Sep. 2026
  • In the years since Shakur's murder, what exactly happened in that hail of bullets -- and who pulled the trigger -- was obscured by a lack of physical evidence, feuding cops and the gangland code of silence.
    — Sasha Pezenik, ABC News, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of obscured
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
  • One Baguette is covered in a kaleidoscopic geometric pattern of colorful beads; another resembles a tiny textile artwork in dusty pink, green, and turquoise.
    — Lilah Ramzi, Vogue, 3 Sep. 2026
  • The almost 1,100-foot-long warship was covered in rust from bow to stern.
    — Brad Lendon, CNN Money, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of covered
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
  • When women tried to march for their rights, they were violently suppressed, and by 2023, nearly all those in Afghan jails were political prisoners, and many were tortured.
    — The Week US, TheWeek, 31 Aug. 2026
  • Hong Kong's independent bookstores, many of them tucked away from busy streets inside buildings, have long offered a refuge and a window to a freer world for some mainland Chinese readers seeking ideas suppressed at home.
    — KANIS LEUNG, Christian Science Monitor, 30 Aug. 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 6 Sep. 2026.

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