The politician tried to whitewash the poor job he did dealing with the coronavirus.
Source: tatoeba (8978049)
Whitewash
/ˈwaɪtwɒʃ/
Synonyms for "whitewash" (234 found)
Ranked by relevance and common usage.
Closest matches (47)
absolveacquitallow forallowanceamnestyappeaseapply paintbecloudbedaubbedizenbefogbegildbeliebesmearblankblanketblindbrush on paintbulldozecalcimine
Show 21 more words
camouflagechalkclearcloakclobberclobberingcloudcoatcolorcomplexionconcealcovercover upcreamcrushing defeatcurtaindabdaubdecisive defeatdecontaminatedecontamination
Noun(5 words)
Verb(1 words)
Strong matches (70)
deep-dyedefeat utterlydeodorizedestigmatizediminishdipdischargedisguisedismissdispense fromdissembledistemperdistortdistract attention fromdouble-dyedress updyeeaseeclipseembellish
Show 42 more words
emblazonembroiderenamelengildensconceenshroudenvelopexculpateexcuseexemptexempt fromexonerateextenuateextenuating circumstancesextenuationextenuativefacefalsifyfast-dyeforgivefreefrescofudgegarblegildgildinggive absolutionglazeglossgloss overgraingrant amnesty togrant immunitygrant remissionhidehueignoreilluminateimbueingrainjapanjustify
Verb(3 words)
Related words (117)
keep under coverlacquerlay on colorlessenlet golet offmake allowance formaskmincemiscitemiscolormisquotemisreportmisrepresentmisstatemitigatemitigationno contestnonprosobfuscate
Show 80 more words
obscureoccultoverbearoverstateoverwhelmoverwhelming defeatpaintpalliatepalliationpalliativepardonpargetpastepastingpervertpigmentpipe claypipe-clayprettifyprimepurgequalificationquash the chargereleaseremitschmearscreenset freeshadeshadowshellacshellackingshriveshroudshut outskunkslantslop on paintslur oversmashing defeatsmearsmearingsnow undersoft pedalsoft-pedalsoftensofteningstainsteamrollerstipplestrainsugarcoattincttincturetingetinttitivatetonetotal defeattrick outtwistundercoatunderstateutter defeatvarnishveilveneervindicatewarpwashwhelmwhitewhitenwhiteningwhitewashingwhitingwhompwhopwhoppingwithdraw the charge
Noun(12 words)
Verb(3 words)
Adjective(2 words)
sugarcoatedwhite coating
Choosing the right synonym
- Closest matches in this entry: absolve, acquit, airbrushing, allow for, allowance.
- Sentence evidence is available for whitewash, so synonym choice can be checked against real usage rather than a flat word list.
- Ranking signals come from moby, derived_reverse, opengloss, wordnet, and related lexical sources.
Synonym selection checklist
- Match the part of speech before comparing meanings.
- Check whether the synonym changes intensity, formality, or emotional tone.
- Read the replacement inside the full sentence, not just beside "whitewash".
- Prefer the clearest word over the most unusual word when writing for speed or comprehension.
When not to replace "whitewash"
Keep "whitewash" when the sentence already sounds natural, when a synonym would add unintended emphasis, or when readers need the most familiar wording. A synonym should clarify or sharpen the message, not simply make the sentence look more varied.
If two options seem close, choose the one that best matches the audience and purpose of the sentence.
Replacement workflow
1. Preserve meaning
Choose a synonym only if it keeps the core idea of "whitewash" intact in the sentence you are editing.
2. Tune tone
Check whether the replacement sounds more formal, casual, emotional, technical, or forceful than the original word.
3. Re-read context
Read the full sentence after the swap. Keep the synonym only when the sentence becomes clearer or more precise.
Review note: Synonym lists are ranked with lexical data and reviewed for practical writing value. Use the comparison notes, sentence evidence, and source labels together; a high-ranking synonym can still be wrong when the audience, register, or grammar changes.
Final fit check
After choosing a replacement for "whitewash", read the sentence once for meaning and once for rhythm. The best synonym should feel natural in the full sentence, not only accurate in a word list.
If the synonym makes the sentence slower, vaguer, or more dramatic than intended, keep "whitewash" or choose a simpler alternative from the closest-match group.
Related word relations
OpenGloss and ConceptNet supply richer edges like generalizations, collocations, and derivations.
More general
18 entriesShowing 16 of 18 words.
More specific
8 entrieshistoric limewashhistorical revisionismlimewashmedia manipulationmedia whitewashofficial whitewashpigmented limewashpolitical spin
Collocations
11 entriesgovernment whitewashhistoric limewashlimewash coatingpigmented limewashpolitical whitewashpublic relations whitewashwhitewash historywhitewash recordswhitewash scandalwhitewash wallwhitewashing campaign
Inflections
3 entriesDerivations
2 entriesTranslations
3 translations across 2 languages.
Catalan
1 entries- blanquejament verb ((transitive) to distort or give a misleading account of (history, a narrative, etc.) by discounting the participation of people of colour and focusing on white people)
Finnish
2 entries- antaa anteeksi verb ((transitive) to clear (someone’s) debts, especially through a declaration of bankruptcy by a court; (intransitive) to have debts cleared through a declaration of bankruptcy by a court)
- korostaa valkoisia verb ((transitive) to distort or give a misleading account of (history, a narrative, etc.) by discounting the participation of people of colour and focusing on white people)
Sample sentences
20 total sentences available.
For walls plaster gave a smooth white surface; or if it was not sufficiently white, or had become discoloured, it could be brightened up with a coat of whitewash or paint.
Source: wiktionary
“She has developed an arrogance of power,” Mr. Richardson said by telephone during a layover in Tokyo on his way back to New Mexico from Myanmar. “I’ve known her a long time and am fond of her, but she basically is unwilling to listen to bad news, and I don’t want to be part of a whitewash.”
Source: wiktionary
A report by the City watchdog into the scandal at Royal Bank of Scotland’s turnaround unit has been described as a whitewash after the regulator confirmed it would not punish the bank for mistreating business customers following the financial crash.
Source: wiktionary
Showing 4 of 20 available sentences.
Common questions
What are the closest synonyms for "whitewash"?
Closest matches include absolve, acquit, airbrushing, allow for, allowance.
How should I check whether a synonym fits "whitewash"?
Compare the replacement against real sentence context. This entry includes sample sentences so you can check tone, grammar, and meaning before swapping words.