smooth over

British  

verb

1. (tr) to ease or gloss over

   to smooth over a situation

---

smooth over Idioms  

1. Rid of obstructions or difficulties, as in We tried to smooth things over between the families before the wedding but did not succeed. [Late 1600s]

---

Example Sentences

It had been buried off to the side of the trail in the snow, buried neatly with the snow smoothed over the top so that it was completely hidden.

From Literature

The view outside his window is a vast expanse of white as far as the eye can see, smoothed over by an equally vast layer of pure blue.

From BBC

Though they later held meetings to smooth over their differences, the network is again livid following the reauthorization of German agrochemical giant Bayer's dicamba herbicide for sprayed use on genetically modified soybean and cotton.

From Barron's

Supporters say the proposal, which the supervisors are pushing to get on the November ballot, would offer a new tool to smooth over disputes and provide a “reset” after recent tumultuous contract negotiations.

From Los Angeles Times

The guidance likely smoothed over any fears about a potential sales decline in 2026.

From MarketWatch

Related Words

• arbitrate
• clear up
• eradicate
• expedite
• get rid of
• harmonize
• negotiate
• resolve
• settle
• straighten out
• unravel