WHITEWASHES Synonyms: 118 Similar and Opposite Words

whitewashes 1 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of whitewash

as in ignores

to dismiss as of little importance refused to whitewash the governor's chronic disregard for the truth

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in justifies

to make (something) seem less bad by offering excuses don't try to whitewash your rudeness by claiming that you were having a bad day

Synonyms & Similar Words

whitewashes

2 of 2

noun

plural of whitewash

as in rationalizations

Related Words

as in washouts

Related Words

Dissimilar Words

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of whitewashes

Verb

Burns, who is Black, also pushed back on criticisms that the state’s new Black history curriculum whitewashes the history of slavery and oppression in America. — Austin Horn, Miami Herald, 30 June 2026 The biography is presented as a clear-eyed and evenhanded examination of Reid’s complex legacy that neither whitewashes his methods nor diminishes his accomplishments. — Los Angeles Times, 18 Jan. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for whitewashes

Verb

Is Jan Crawford meant to adhere to standards while the editor-in-chief consistently ignores them?

— Daniel Strauss, Vulture, 20 Oct. 2026
In Bethany Joy Lenz’s debut fiction novel, a painter spends her days honoring ordinary women the world overlooked — ones whose deaths were caused or enabled by a system that ignores them.

— Lexy Perez, HollywoodReporter, 20 Oct. 2026

Definition of ignores

Verb

Building a new jail, the suit claims, doesn’t meet the legal test that justifies extended after-hours work, which are allowed only on (among other things) projects that are in the interest of public health and safety.

— Curbed, Curbed, 21 Oct. 2026
Luxury fashion — an industry that justifies its price tag through the promise of human craftsmanship — has enjoyed nodding to robots, and in particular fem-bots, for decades.

— Leah Dolan, CNN Money, 20 Oct. 2026

Definition of justifies

Noun

Well, the English language market is certainly growing, and that was also one of the rationales of the merger deal between All3Media and Banijay.

— Nick Vivarelli, Variety, 23 Oct. 2026
The claims paying organizations that are best prepared to navigate this evolving environment will be those that combine uniform eligibility review, defensible payment rationales, dispute tracking and outcome analysis into a single cohesive process.

— Christine Cooper, Forbes.com, 20 Oct. 2026

Definition of rationales

Noun

Massive waves also stripped millions of cubic yards of sand from Southern California beaches, and sections of the Pacific Coast Highway suffered severe flooding, mudslides and washouts.

— Gary Griggs, The Conversation, 21 Oct. 2026
Officials said special attention will be given to gravel roads that could be susceptible to washouts and erosion.

— Detroit Free Press, Freep.com, 4 Sep. 2026

Definition of washouts

Verb

So much so that the Texas head football coach excuses its 80th national ranking in offense.

— Kirk Bohls, Houston Chronicle, 16 Oct. 2026
Created in 2007, PSLF excuses the federal student debt of government and nonprofit workers after 120 qualifying monthly payments.

— Jessica Dickler,Annie Nova, CNBC, 15 Oct. 2026

Definition of excuses

Browse Nearby Words

whitewashed

whitewashes

whitewashing

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Whitewashes.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/whitewashes. Accessed 28 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of whitewashes

verb

noun

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

grotesque

Popular in Grammar & Usage

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Popular in Wordplay

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Why do we 'bury the lede?'

'Za' and 9 Other Words to Help You Win at SCRABBLE

Popular

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Games & Quizzes