1
as in ignores
to dismiss as of little importance
refused to whitewash the governor's chronic disregard for the truth
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in justifies
to make (something) seem less bad by offering excuses
don't try to whitewash your rudeness by claiming that you were having a bad day
Synonyms & Similar Words
1
as in rationalizations
Related Words
2
as in washouts
Related Words
Dissimilar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of whitewashes
Los Angeles Times, 18 Jan. 2026
Verb
The biography is presented as a clear-eyed and evenhanded examination of Reid’s complex legacy that neither whitewashes his methods nor diminishes his accomplishments.
—Los Angeles Times, 18 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for whitewashes
Verb
-
Importantly, the survey also points to a potential de-escalator that Carlson ignores.—
Robert Pape,
Chicago Tribune,
8 Feb. 2026
-
If someone ignores your text, try asking a follow-up question (or calling them, because tone may travel poorly over screens).—
Tarot.com,
The Orlando Sentinel,
7 Feb. 2026
Verb
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At the same time, Maryland has lost approximately 130,000 residents since Moore took office, yet the budget justifies hundreds of millions in housing and community revitalization spending based on population growth assumptions that do not match reality.—
J.B. Jennings,
Baltimore Sun,
5 Feb. 2026
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Today’s chip valuations have also already priced in years of double-digit growth, so any friction in the buildout justifies short-term selloffs.—
Nick Lichtenberg,
Fortune,
4 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Expectations going up after two straight Playoff washouts.—
Jason Kirk,
New York Times,
16 Jan. 2026
-
In optimal conditions, most vehicles can make it, but high clearance is strongly recommended—especially in winter and after storms, when washouts, flooding, or snow accumulation are possible.—
Taryn Shorr-Mckee,
Travel + Leisure,
12 Jan. 2026
Verb
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The bottom line There is no federal program that directly forgives or restructures credit card debt, but that doesn't mean borrowers are stuck.—
Angelica Leicht,
CBS News,
8 Dec. 2025
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Sinnott forgives his parents, and parents today who waver on vaccination.—
Arthur Allen,
Miami Herald,
28 Oct. 2025
Verb
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So people tend to define antisemitism in a way that excuses their side, and that throws all of the blame on the other side.—
David Remnick,
New Yorker,
6 Feb. 2026
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For true Second Amendment advocates, Pretti’s decision to bring a gun to a protest in no way excuses his killing.—
The Atlantic,
The Atlantic,
26 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
There is plenty more to discover in Saadiyat, where the 295-room Jumeirah Saadiyat Island, which overlooks the Gulf, makes for a sumptuous home base.—
John Arlidge,
Travel + Leisure,
7 Feb. 2026
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The focus on treatment over vaccination also overlooks the fact that no measles infection is risk-free.—
Elizabeth Yuko,
Rolling Stone,
7 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Harvard Professor Carla Martin explains how cacao transformed from a sacred drink into a Valentine’s Day staple — and how history, marketing and chemistry helped give chocolate its emotional power.—
Dana Taylor,
USA Today,
13 Feb. 2026
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Athletes are tested for substances as part of the Monitoring Program during regular doping checks in order to gather data on usage, Fitzgerald explains.—
Emily Kay Votruba,
EverydayHealth.com,
13 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
For Warsh’s critics, the issue is that his rationales have been incoherent, with no discernible pattern except for advocating higher rates under Democrats and lower rates under Republicans.—
Business Columnist,
Los Angeles Times,
3 Feb. 2026
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Trump’s penchant for wielding emergency powers and national security rationales to take trade action has shone a spotlight on this problem.—
Inu Manak,
Time,
16 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Whitewashes.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/whitewashes. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.
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