paper over

British  

verb

1. (tr, adverb) to conceal (something controversial or unpleasant)

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paper over Idioms  

1. Also, paper over the cracks. Repair superficially, conceal, especially flaws. For example, He used some accounting gimmicks to paper over a deficit, or It was hardly a perfect settlement, but they decided to paper over the cracks. The German statesman Otto von Bismarck first used this analogy in a letter in 1865, and the first recorded example in English, in 1910, referred to it. The allusion is to covering cracked plaster with wallpaper, thereby improving its appearance but not the underlying defect.

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

paper over

The contradictions are getting harder to paper over, as evidenced by Alex Clark’s mess of a speech.

From Salon ● Jun. 12, 2026

Haney also says that Rinderknecht is being tried to paper over the failure of firefighters to extinguish the initial blaze, saying they bear significant responsibility for the ensuing tragedy.

From Barron's ● Jun. 8, 2026

Absent a way to boost growth to lift young Chinese’s fortunes, the government tried to paper over the problem.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 4, 2026

But there were only so many problems that talent could paper over for the Trojans, even if Northwestern had come into Wednesday night on the heels of a five-game losing streak.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jan. 22, 2026

Horrified, I leaned closer—the word mutilated had electrified me, it was the only thing I could see on the page—but Henry had turned the paper over and begun to study the other side.

From "The Secret History" by Donna Tartt