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

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.

This set with a 100% mulberry silk face mask and pillow, both of which help smooth over fine lines and frizz. —

Blake Bakkila, Architectural Digest, 2 Dec. 2024 Having discussions with employees and implementing solutions that work for everyone will help smooth over differences and create more cohesive teams. 5. —

Michael Spataro, Forbes, 7 Oct. 2024 Garten’s commitment to smoothing over social friction has held firm even in the face of prejudice. —

Molly Fischer, The New Yorker, 2 Sep. 2024 McCarthy’s cleverly edited film, even while purporting to portray the Brat Pack as put-upon by the phrase, manages to smooth over the fact that no real animus exists anymore between the Brat Pack actors and me. —

David Blum, Vulture, 13 June 2024 See all Example Sentences for smooth over