sugarcoating
|sug-ar-coat-ing|
🇺🇸
/ˈʃʊɡərˌkoʊtɪŋ/
🇬🇧
/ˈʃʊɡəˌkəʊtɪŋ/
(sugarcoat)
making things seem better
Etymology
'sugarcoat' originates from the combination of 'sugar' and 'coat', where 'sugar' meant 'sweet substance' and 'coat' meant 'cover'.
'sugarcoat' changed from the literal act of coating something with sugar to its metaphorical use in modern English.
Initially, it meant 'to cover with sugar', but over time it evolved into its current meaning of 'to make something seem more pleasant'.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
the act of making something seem more pleasant or acceptable than it is.
The sugarcoating of the report made the situation seem less dire.
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Verb 1
present participle of 'sugarcoat'.
She is sugarcoating the truth to avoid hurting his feelings.
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Idioms
Last updated: 2025/01/11 11:40