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
With ballots set to be printed this week, the issue was appealed to the Alaska Supreme Court on an expedited basis, with both sides filing court papers over the weekend.
—
Joe Walsh,
CBS News,
30 June 2026
This is why so much of the software industry has had to invent entire departments, customer success, customer experience, onboarding specialists, to paper over the gap between what was sold and what is actually experienced.
—
Salim Gheewalla,
Forbes.com,
30 June 2026
Given that the conflict between Rudd and Marcus becomes sweaty as hell to begin with (Rudd grows paranoid that Marcus will steal his spotlight), Spicer’s film would have been well-served to paper over it in favor of a few extra gags.
—
David Ehrlich,
IndieWire,
25 June 2026
But would that simply paper over a situation that requires an addition, one that wouldn’t increase Alvarez’s risk of injury?
—
Chandler Rome,
New York Times,
23 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for paper over
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Joe Walsh,
CBS News,
30 June 2026
This is why so much of the software industry has had to invent entire departments, customer success, customer experience, onboarding specialists, to paper over the gap between what was sold and what is actually experienced.
—
Salim Gheewalla,
Forbes.com,
30 June 2026
Given that the conflict between Rudd and Marcus becomes sweaty as hell to begin with (Rudd grows paranoid that Marcus will steal his spotlight), Spicer’s film would have been well-served to paper over it in favor of a few extra gags.
—
David Ehrlich,
IndieWire,
25 June 2026
But would that simply paper over a situation that requires an addition, one that wouldn’t increase Alvarez’s risk of injury?
—
Chandler Rome,
New York Times,
23 June 2026
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 3 Jul. 2026.
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