Meaning & use
Whitewashing
Last updated
The act of concealing or glossing over unpleasant facts, mistakes, or wrongdoing.
See it in a sentence
Critics accused the report of whitewashing the company's role in the scandal.
The museum exhibit was criticized for whitewashing a painful chapter of history.
A note on using this word
The term originally referred to literally coating a wall with white paint to hide dirt or damage, before taking on its figurative meaning.
Words with a similar meaning
cover-upglossing over
Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.
Words with an opposite meaning
Another way to use it
2. noun
The application of a white paint or lime mixture to a wall or surface.
The old fence needed a fresh coat of whitewashing.
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