whitewashing

[ wahyt-wosh-ing, -waw-shing, hwahyt- ]

noun

1. the act or process of whitening with whitewash:

   The picket fence could use a few minor repairs, but mostly it needs a good whitewashing.

2. an instance or methodical practice of covering up or glossing over the faults or errors of someone or something:

   Behind her assurances that all the coffee was fair-trade, there always lurked the possibility of some creative whitewashing.

   We would have known about this high-level corruption much sooner if it weren’t for the carefully orchestrated whitewashing within the department.

3. 1. the casting of a white actor to play a character of color in a film, television show, or play:

      Whitewashing has a long tradition in the history of Hollywood casting.

   2. in a representation of a historical era or event, the focus on a member or members of the dominant cultural group rather than the minority individual or group whose presence would be more historically accurate:

      The documentarian's whitewashing preserves the false notion that our race to the moon was won only on the shoulders of white heterosexual men.

Word History and Origins

Origin of whitewashing¹

First recorded in 1650–60 whitewashing fordef 1; 1760–70 whitewashing fordef 2; 2005–10 whitewashing fordef 3a; 1995–2000 whitewashing fordef 3b; whitewash ( def ) + -ing ¹( def )

Example Sentences

Ferris treats celebrity machinery as a means of whitewashing the past.

From The Daily Beast

The harsh reality of domestic abuse in his county and his state has not stopped Harris from whitewashing it.

From The Daily Beast

That whitewashing of history does both him—and our political debates—a deep disservice.

From The Daily Beast

Shanghai has a similar problem as China has for decades embarked on large-scaled whitewashing of ancient Chinese traditions.

From The Daily Beast

Xtra Insight: Unsung Heroes of the Civil War Xtra Insight: Civil War at 150: Are We Whitewashing Slavery?

From The Daily Beast

The roots may also be pounded out, cleaned and made into brushes for painting or whitewashing houses.

From Project Gutenberg

The interior of this church has suffered both from neglect and whitewashing at various times.

From Project Gutenberg

For thorough cleansing after all loose dirt has been swept away nothing is superior54 to whitewashing.

From Project Gutenberg

And mother says you better clean the cellar right away, and she wondered if youd feel equal to whitewashing it.

From Project Gutenberg

This was followed by another directing their destruction, and the whitewashing of the walls of churches ornamented with them.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

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• blow
• breakdown
• collapse
• debacle
• destruction
• drubbing
• embarrassment
• failure
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• loss
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• setback
• thrashing
• triumph