gloss over

phrasal-verb
UK: /ˌɡlɒs ˈəʊvər/
US: /ˌɡlɑːs ˈoʊvər/

  1. To avoid talking about something unpleasant or embarrassing by talking about it very briefly, or not at all.

    1. She glossed over her mistakes.
    2. During the presentation, the speaker tended to gloss over the difficult aspects of the project, focusing instead on the successes.

  2. To treat or represent something as less important than it really is.

    1. Don't gloss over the details.
    2. The report seemed to gloss over the serious environmental concerns raised by local residents during the consultation process.

Synonyms

downplay disguise conceal whitewash
gloss over verb

  1. To offer a superficial explanation of something.

    1. He glossed over the issue.
    2. The politician tried to gloss over the scandal by giving vague answers to the reporter's questions.

Frequently Asked Questions

The word "gloss over" in English means: To avoid talking about something unpleasant or embarrassing by talking about it very briefly, or not at all., To treat or represent something as less important than it really is..

The phonetic transcription of "gloss over" is /ˌɡlɒs ˈəʊvər/ in British English and /ˌɡlɑːs ˈoʊvər/ in American English. Click the 🔊 button to hear both pronunciations.

Synonyms for "gloss over": downplay, disguise, conceal, whitewash.

Example usage of "gloss over": "She glossed over her mistakes.". More examples on the page.