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 Several turnovers forced by the Ducks' defense papered over what was a dominant performance by the Cowboys. — Ian Miller Outkick, FOXNews.com, 15 Sep. 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
  • The shame lies with the governments who ignored the AIDS crisis and the stigma that was around people and the innate prejudice that was in society.
    — Lily Ford, HollywoodReporter, 8 Oct. 2026
  • It is enabled by a culture where consent and accountability are ignored.
    — Cayla Bamberger, New York Daily News, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of ignored
Verb
  • This sonic machine—a pneumatic system operated by wind and air—is partially concealed inside walls.
    — Thomas Patier, Artforum, 9 Oct. 2026
  • Villarreal Ortiz obtained permanent residence by falsely identifying his aunt, a naturalized American citizen, as his mother and later concealed that deception when applying for citizenship, prosecutors say.
    — Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 9 Oct. 2026
Definition of concealed
Verb
  • While the property’s extensive and expensive renovation has elevated nearly every corner of the resort, the room doors appear to have been overlooked.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 7 Oct. 2026
  • Kelly said that too often medical records note only a concussion, which is in fact a mild traumatic brain injury, but can be overlooked.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 6 Oct. 2026
Definition of overlooked
Verb
  • This solution addresses the issue where the input field is obscured by the on-screen keyboard.
    — Emily Zemler, Rolling Stone, 6 Oct. 2026
  • Shimoda reveals how identities are forged through steamships crisscrossing the Pacific, formed by old family journals and photographs, and also obscured by systemic erasure.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 2 Oct. 2026
Definition of obscured
Verb
  • Justin Wilson, an associate professor of physics at Louisiana State University and a study coauthor, explained that random interventions could suppress otherwise unpredictable behavior.
    — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 9 Oct. 2026
  • Adding that there were multiple bloods; some waterier, some viscous, others stickier, Flanagan explained that blood for dropping was different from what needed to be painted on Howell, which could not drip off.
    — Alex Zalben, IndieWire, 9 Oct. 2026
Definition of explained
Verb
  • Wigs can cost thousands of dollars and are often not covered by insurance.
    — CBS News, CBS News, 8 Oct. 2026
  • As for the stumps left behind, Federal Emergency Management Agency rules said that if a tree is more than 24 inches in diameter or is leaning more than 51%, it’s covered under FEMA reimbursement, Public Works Director Brad Baxter said.
    — Michelle L. Quinn, Chicago Tribune, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of covered
Verb
  • If Waldron’s future role at Goldman Sachs appears to be a near certainty, that’s not the case for the rest of the bank’s C-suite, especially if several top executives depart after being passed over.
    — Morgan Chittum, Fortune, 1 Oct. 2026
  • The Speaker claims that the House has passed over 900 pieces of legislation, 700 of which remain stuck in the Senate.
    — Don Wolfensberger, Washington Post, 1 Oct. 2026
Definition of passed over
Verb
  • Sorkin’s problem was that, in reality, at this point in Facebook’s history, the powerful CEO had pushed out all the Roger McNamees, having suppressed dissent within the company.
    — Chris O'Falt, IndieWire, 10 Oct. 2026
  • The rest of the network enacts the decision, as other genes are activated or suppressed farther downstream, but isn’t active in it.
    — Quanta Magazine, Quanta Magazine, 9 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 11 Oct. 2026.

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