sugarcoat

American  

[shoog-er-koht] / ˈʃʊg ərˌkoʊt /

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.

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Etymology

Origin of sugarcoat

First recorded in 1865–70; sugar + coat

Example Sentences

“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.

From Los Angeles Times

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

From 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.

From BBC

It’s no good trying to sugarcoat the troubled history of the United Nations.

From Salon

“I’m not going to sugarcoat it. I’m not going to say we survive this,” said Barbara Ferrer, head of the public health department, in an interview.

From Los Angeles Times