sugarcoat

[shoog-er-koht]

verb (used with object)

1. to cover with sugar.

   to sugarcoat a pill.

2. to make (something difficult or distasteful) appear more pleasant or acceptable.

   There was no way to sugarcoat the bad news.

Word History and Origins

Origin of sugarcoat¹

First recorded in 1865–70; sugar + coat

Example Sentences

The world is not cutting emissions fast enough to meet the goals of the Paris Agreement and no amount of pomp and pageantry at COP30 will be able to sugarcoat that uncomfortable reality.

Read more on Barron's

“Like, he didn’t sugarcoat, he didn’t try to kiss my you-know-what for me to come here. He just kept it real. He’s like, ‘I’m gonna coach you.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

“There’s no sugarcoating this,” Freeman echoed a few weeks later, when another confounding sweep to the Pittsburgh Pirates in early September was followed by another walk-off loss to the Orioles in team’s series-opener in Baltimore.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

“It’s just straight-up disappointing, and there’s no other way to sugarcoat it.”

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Sanderson, however, did not sugarcoat what is at stake for Chelsea, nor the pressure on the shoulders of a team backed by huge investment - but without a European title.

Read more on BBC