paper over
verb
papered over; papering over; papers over
1
: to gloss over, explain away, or patch up (differences, disparities, etc.) especially in order to maintain a semblance of unity or agreement
Examples of paper over in a Sentence
the differences between the two factions are too great to be papered over in the name of party unity
the company tried to paper over its red ink, issuing assurances that it was still financially sound
Recent Examples on the Web
But the business momentum doesn’t paper over the major challenges facing the sport, which are intertwined with revenue disparity, media distribution and looming labor negotiations.
—
Kurt Badenhausen, Sportico.com, 25 Mar. 2025
The move has been publicly critiqued by Times readers and staffers alike, many of whom ended their subscriptions or left the paper over allegations that the Times owner preemptively bent the knee to Trump.
—Cnn.com Wire Service, The Mercury News, 6 Mar. 2025
To paper over the likely deficit expansion, Republicans have been trying to sell two alternative accounting methods that would shrink the top-line number.
—Tobias Burns, The Hill, 27 Feb. 2025
One of the many gimmicks that California’s governors and legislators employ to paper over budget deficits, thus avoiding real spending cuts or increasing taxes, is to assume some level of savings from making state agencies and programs more efficient.
—Dan Walters, The Mercury News, 6 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for paper over
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.
Kurt Badenhausen, Sportico.com, 25 Mar. 2025
The move has been publicly critiqued by Times readers and staffers alike, many of whom ended their subscriptions or left the paper over allegations that the Times owner preemptively bent the knee to Trump.
—Cnn.com Wire Service, The Mercury News, 6 Mar. 2025
To paper over the likely deficit expansion, Republicans have been trying to sell two alternative accounting methods that would shrink the top-line number.
—Tobias Burns, The Hill, 27 Feb. 2025
One of the many gimmicks that California’s governors and legislators employ to paper over budget deficits, thus avoiding real spending cuts or increasing taxes, is to assume some level of savings from making state agencies and programs more efficient.
—Dan Walters, The Mercury News, 6 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for paper over
Cite this Entry
“Paper over.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/paper%20over. Accessed 4 Apr. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share