Synonyms for whitewash
- verb
- noun
Most common
All synonyms
Verb
1. Gloss over — to hide (someone's) mistakes, or to create an appearance of honesty, propriety, etc., for (someone); also, to…
Noun
Definitions
- v. 1
To hide (someone's) mistakes, or to create an appearance of honesty, propriety, etc., for (someone); also, to intentionally hide or overlook (mistakes, unfavourable facts, wrongdoing, etc.).
In his sermon, the minister didn’t try to whitewash over the sins of his church.
- n. 1
A mixture of a powdered mineral substance (often slaked lime (containing calcium hydroxide), chalk (calcium carbonate), or both) and water which is used for painting surfaces such as fences and walls bright white.
Near-synonym: limewash (often coinstantial)
Forms
- Plural
- whitewashes → cover-ups, eyewashes, limewashes…
- Past participle
- whitewashed
e.g. whitewashed → bleached, spint, skunked, blanched…
Choose the right word
To whitewash is to whiten superficially, especially by false approval.
J. C. Fernald, English Synonyms and Antonyms (1914)
Example sentences
- spin After dinner, we took a spin around town in my car.
Popularity over time
| Word | 1850 → 2019 | Trend |
|---|---|---|
| whitewash | steady | |
| spin | steady |
Use in printed books, per decade from 1850 to 2019.
By length
- 4 letters
- spin1
- 5 letters
- skunk1
- 6 letters
- bleach1, blanch1
- 7 letters
- eyewash
- 8 letters
- limewash