Meaning trap
gloss over
gloss over (something)
to deliberately avoid discussing or paying attention to something unpleasant or important, often to make a situation seem better than it really is
Don't mix these meanings
Same phrase, different job.
to deliberately avoid discussing or paying attention to something unpleasant or important, often to make a situation seem better than it really is
Another meaning of 'gloss over' is 'gloss (a word/term)'; compare the examples to keep the meanings separate.
Hear it in context
Notice where the phrase sounds natural.
- The report glossed over the company's financial difficulties, focusing only on its recent successes.communication
- In my opinion, politicians often gloss over the real causes of social problems, preferring to highlight only the positive aspects of their policies.IELTS speaking
Fix the pattern
Pattern: gloss over + object
WrongHe glossed the mistakes over the meeting.
RightHe glossed over the mistakes in the meeting.
It's 'gloss over + problem' as one unit. Don't split it or treat 'over' as a place.
Patterngloss over + object
Use it right
Choose the version that sounds natural in speech.
'Gloss over' packs 'touch on too lightly to hide it' into two words. 'Deliberately minimised' is clunky.
Build natural chunks
Words that usually travel with it.
gloss over + problemthe problemsthe detailsthe risksher mistakes
Don't confuse it
Unlike the literal sense of 'gloss' (to add shine or explain a word), 'gloss over' is a figurative phrasal verb meaning to avoid talking about something negative or problematic.
Related
- gloss over (gloss (a word/term)) — Another meaning of 'gloss over' is 'gloss (a word/term)'; compare the examples to keep the meanings separate.