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Synonyms

smooth over

British  

verb

  1. (tr) to ease or gloss over

    to smooth over a situation
"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

On Tuesday ahead of his visit, Rubio denied that he was going to Italy to smooth over tensions between Trump and the Vatican.

From BBC • May 5, 2026

The mea culpa was well-received by the trio and underscored Cora’s ability to smooth over even the most awkward situations.

From Los Angeles Times • May 1, 2026

It remains to be seen whether Muse Spark’s launch will smooth over previous controversies.

From Barron's • Apr. 8, 2026

Torrenting was also fast and smooth over ExpressVPN.

From Salon • Mar. 13, 2026

Moss asked, hoping to smooth over his reaction.

From "Anger Is a Gift" by Mark Oshiro

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.

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