smooth over
phrasal verb
smoothed over; smoothing over; smooths over also smoothes over
: to make (a disagreement, problem, difficulty, etc.) seem less serious than it really is
Don't worry about missing the application deadline—we'll smooth that over with the office.
She smoothed over the objections to his candidacy.
Examples of smooth over in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The lightweight gel-cream sinks in fast, while niacinamide brightens and smooths over time.
—
Christa Joanna Lee, Allure, 12 Sep. 2025
Use a plastic putty knife to fill and smooth over scratches.
—Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 12 Sep. 2025
Many people enter relationships assuming that love will smooth over differences in worldview.
—Mark Travers, Forbes.com, 7 Sep. 2025
Google smooths over the latter's rough edges (literally) to create a phone that's easier to hold and use.
—PC Magazine, 4 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for smooth 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.
Christa Joanna Lee, Allure, 12 Sep. 2025
Use a plastic putty knife to fill and smooth over scratches.
—Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 12 Sep. 2025
Many people enter relationships assuming that love will smooth over differences in worldview.
—Mark Travers, Forbes.com, 7 Sep. 2025
Google smooths over the latter's rough edges (literally) to create a phone that's easier to hold and use.
—PC Magazine, 4 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for smooth over
Cite this Entry
“Smooth over.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/smooth%20over. Accessed 18 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share