as in to excuse
to talk about or describe (something) in a way that makes it seem more pleasant or acceptable than it is
textbooks that sugarcoat history She has very strong opinions, and she doesn't try to sugarcoat them.
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Recent Examples of sugarcoat
There’s no use sugarcoating it—MGP has hit a bit of a rough patch over the past year.
—
Jonah Flicker, Robb Report, 14 Dec. 2025
Firstly, Fabian has a knack for sugarcoating unwelcome news.
—Brian Davids, HollywoodReporter, 28 Nov. 2025
For its part, Housewives has sugarcoated neither Gay’s clashes with the Mormon Church and subsequent estrangement from some friends and family members, nor the painful excommunication of her castmate and cousin Whitney Rose.
—Judy Berman, Time, 12 Nov. 2025
Selma Blair refuses to sugarcoat what life with multiple sclerosis looks like.
—Maggie Ryan, Flow Space, 23 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for sugarcoat
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sugarcoat
Verb
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In the ‘Groundhog Day’-esque nightmare that never ends, the ‘urgent’ and ‘engaged’ Boston Red Sox are up a creek without a paddle, vessel, and excuse, having lost out on a top – and very sign-able – free-agent target once again.—
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What is troubling is the rhetoric from some Democratic officials and commentators appearing to excuse violent conduct directed at ICE personnel.—
Verb
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And on Desaceleradas, Beatriz chooses not to explain away cumbia rebajada’s contradictions, but to celebrate its fundamental mystery.—
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The historian doesn’t explain away Moore’s infatuation and personal association with the Ugandan dictator Idi Amin, who in 1975 invited her to attend a meeting of the Organization of African Unity in Kampala.—
Verb
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One pattern rationalizes exploitation and disguises harm as the price of progress.—
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Democrats and Republicans seek to punish misdeeds by the other side but rationalize them for their own.—
Verb
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Yuba County District Attorney Clint Curry in early October cleared Rodarte and Trumm of potential wrongdoing, deeming their gunfire in response to Oliver as justified self-defense.—
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Some of Ross’s actions could be legally justified, Ramsey noted.—
Verb
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Larger population and better pay helps explain why taxable retail sales were $155 billion in West California in the second quarter, nearly double the $80 billion spent in East California.—
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During the public comment period, Crisoforo Gomez, organizer with the San Diego and Imperial County Labor Council, explained that concern.—
Verb
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Visitors and locals alike appreciate the Spanish Colonial Revival-style architecture, whitewashed adobe buildings, and red-tile roofs nestled at the foot of the Santa Ynez Mountains, bordering the Pacific Ocean.—
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In 2026, designers predict that what's underfoot will get darker and more colorful, rather than the light, whitewashed look that's on its way out.—
Cite this Entry
“Sugarcoat.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sugarcoat. Accessed 20 Jan. 2026.
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