Whitewashing
noun, verb ·Uncommon ·Advanced level
Definitions
- 1 The application of whitewash. countable, uncountable
- 2 The effacement of errors or bad actions. countable, figuratively, uncountable
"Some persons are sincerely incapable of understanding that to denounce mud slinging does not mean the endorsement of whitewashing; and both the interested individuals who need whitewashing and those others who practice mud slinging like to encourage such confusion of ideas."
- 3 The process of whitewashing, of making over (a person or character, a group, an event, etc) so that it is or seems more white (Caucasian), for example by applying makeup to a person, or by covering over the participation of non-whites in an event and focusing on only white participation. countable, derogatory, uncountable
"While whitewashing remains a modern problem, it has a long history in American film: In the very first Hollywood movie, 1910’s In Old California, white actors played non-white roles."
- 1 present participle and gerund of whitewash form-of, gerund, participle, present
Antonyms
All antonymsExample
More examples"The US judicial system and press are incredible: One day you're a poor exemplary housewife, victim of a rape, the next, you're an illegal immigrant, having committed perjury and being suspected of whitewashing drug money."
Etymology
From whitewash + -ing.
Related phrases
More for "whitewashing"
Data sourced from Wiktionary, WordNet, CMU, and other open linguistic databases. Updated March 2026.