to deliberately avoid discussing or paying attention to something unpleasant or important, often to make a situation seem better than it really is
The report glossed over the company's financial difficulties, focusing only on its recent successes.
A: Did the manager mention the delays in the meeting? B: Not really—she just glossed over them and moved on to the next topic.
In my opinion, politicians often gloss over the real causes of social problems, preferring to highlight only the positive aspects of their policies.
Common mistake
✗He glossed the mistakes over the meeting.
✓He 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.
Tell it apart
She glossed over the bad results.
played them down
She went over the results.
examined them in detail
'Gloss over' is used when someone tries to make a problem or negative aspect seem less important, often by not mentioning it or by talking about it very briefly. It is neutral in register and common in both spoken and written English when discussing issues, mistakes, or failures.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.
to deliberately avoid discussing or paying attention to something, especially a problem or mistake, often making it seem less serious than it really is
The report glossed over the company's recent financial problems, focusing instead on future plans.
A: Did your boss mention the missed deadline in the meeting? B: He just glossed over it and moved on to the next topic.
In my opinion, politicians sometimes gloss over important issues during debates, choosing to highlight only their achievements.
Common mistake
✗He glossed over about the mistakes.
✓He glossed over the mistakes.
'Gloss over' takes the object directly — no 'about'.
Tell it apart
He glossed over the risks.
skipped past them lightly
He spelled out the risks.
explained them in full
'Gloss over' is used when someone talks about a problem or mistake, but only in a quick or superficial way, often to avoid dealing with it directly. It is common in both spoken and written English, especially in discussions about work, study, or relationships.Unlike simply ignoring something, 'gloss over' means you do mention it, but you don't give it the attention it deserves. It often implies a deliberate attempt to make something negative seem less important.
to briefly explain the meaning of a word or phrase, especially when it is technical or unfamiliar
The professor glossed the term 'cognitive dissonance' for the students who were unfamiliar with it.
A: What does 'zeitgeist' mean? B: The lecturer glossed it as 'the spirit of the time.'
In academic writing, it is important to gloss technical terms so that readers from different backgrounds can understand your arguments.
Common mistake
✗Let me gloss this word for you in the meeting.
✓Let me explain this word for you.
'Gloss' (explain a term) is a written/editorial word; in speech natives just say 'explain'. Don't confuse it with 'gloss over' (skim past).
Tell it apart
The footnote glosses the Latin phrase.
explains its meaning
He glossed over the Latin phrase.
skipped past it
'Gloss' in this sense is formal and most often used in academic, linguistic, or literary contexts. It is not common in everyday conversation.This sense is different from 'gloss over', which means to avoid discussing something negative. Here, 'gloss' means to provide a brief explanation, usually of a word or phrase.