papering over

present participle of paper over
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Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of papering over But many residents worry that the festive mood and infrastructure works risk papering over the security crisis that still affects their daily lives. Bloomberg, Mercury News, 4 June 2026 The improvement between Gemini 2 and Gemini 3 may be papering over a more serious flaw. Frank Landymore, Futurism, 8 Apr. 2026 Yet the money manager remains hopeful that fiscal stimulus — more government spending coupled with consumer and business tax breaks — from last year's One Big Beautiful Bill will start to take effect in a few months, papering over any nascent economic weakness. Sarah Min, CNBC, 20 Feb. 2026 If lawmakers are serious about affordability and homeownership, this is the structural reform that actually solves the problem rather than papering over it. Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 14 Feb. 2026 But the results were papering over some crumbly performances. Carl Anka, New York Times, 19 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for papering over
Verb
  • Make Participation Effortless Reduce friction to the point where using it feels like less effort than ignoring it.
    Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 2 July 2026
  • For example, today, Americans might believe that the demands of racial equity or of evangelical Christianity are so pressing that executive power would be justified in ignoring the legislature or the judiciary to serve them.
    Robert A. Ballingall, The Conversation, 2 July 2026
Verb
  • At a moment when business leaders are searching for new engines of economic growth, one of the country’s fastest-growing entrepreneurial forces has been hiding in plain sight.
    Anthony Hernandez, Fortune, 5 July 2026
  • More Jews report hiding their Star of David necklaces along with other Jewish emblems; 73% report experiencing antisemitism online.
    John Blake, CNN Money, 5 July 2026
Verb
  • This is why much of the safety discussion still feels too forgiving to me.
    Tetiana Aleksandrova, Forbes.com, 2 July 2026
  • Shoppers note that the shorts are roomy and don’t bunch up, and that the elastic waistband is forgiving even while bloated.
    Sophie Dodd, Travel + Leisure, 1 July 2026
Verb
  • An advocacy group trying to investigate DOGE’s influence on the Federal Communications Commission accused the FCC of failing to comply with a public records request and of concealing Chairman Brendan Carr’s use of the Signal messaging service.
    Jon Brodkin, ArsTechnica, 26 June 2026
  • Trees tower over the cemetery, and branches stretch across the fence, concealing the entrance from passersby.
    Kamal Morgan, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 24 June 2026
Verb
  • El Dorado Kitchen For a stay at the center of Sonoma’s action, book El Dorado Hotel, a cozy boutique property overlooking historic Sonoma Plaza.
    Kaila Yu, Forbes.com, 30 June 2026
  • It's located north of San Francisco and features 4,863 square feet of space, while also overlooking the surrounding rolling hills.
    Natalia Senanayake, PEOPLE, 29 June 2026
Verb
  • Also, there are important players coming back from significant injuries, obscuring the picture.
    David Aldridge, New York Times, 2 July 2026
  • The lens has a Ri-Pel coating that allows for water and sweat to bead up and slide off the surface, rather than obscuring vision.
    New Atlas, New Atlas, 24 June 2026
Verb
  • On Wednesday, there is a significant chance of more thunderstorms likely to redevelop along a cold front passing over far eastern Illinois and northwest Indiana, officials said.
    Deanese Williams-Harris, Chicago Tribune, 16 June 2026
  • Subtle audio tracks the sound of ice on the move, views of clouds passing over glass-like ice, and there's the eventual memorial for Ok.
    Erika Owen, Condé Nast Traveler, 16 June 2026
Verb
  • Robbie Ray threw six efficient innings after regrouping from a fall while covering first base, Willy Adames hit a two-run double as part of a four-run opening frame and the San Francisco Giants beat the Colorado Rockies 6-4 on Saturday night.
    ABC News, ABC News, 5 July 2026
  • Maybe Bill Plaschke would be aware of that, and give due credit, if his hometown major newspaper bothered to have a dedicated correspondent covering one of the city’s NBA teams.
    Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 4 July 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Papering over.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/papering%20over. Accessed 6 Jul. 2026.

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