smooth over
phrasal verb
smoothed over; smoothing over; smooths over also smoothes over
: to make (a disagreement, problem, difficulty, etc.) seem less serious than it really is
Don't worry about missing the application deadline—we'll smooth that over with the office.
She smoothed over the objections to his candidacy.
Examples of smooth over in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Things are not smoothing over for Heather Gay and Mary Cosby.
—
Ingrid Vasquez, People.com, 23 Oct. 2024
That being said, Netflix’s stock performance has been anything but smooth over the last four years, with annual returns being considerably more volatile than the S&P 500.
—Trefis Team, Forbes, 15 Oct. 2024
Not only does the sheer setting and smoothing powder help manage oil production and smooth over texture, it’s packed with nourishing ingredients that hydrate the skin and clear out congestion—sans caking and creasing.
—Katie Decker-Jacoby, StyleCaster, 24 Sep. 2024
These security officials developed a thick web of diplomatic channels, including working groups and other semiformal contacts, to smooth over their different regulatory approaches.
—Henry Farrell, Foreign Affairs, 9 July 2013
See all Example Sentences for smooth over 
Ingrid Vasquez, People.com, 23 Oct. 2024
That being said, Netflix’s stock performance has been anything but smooth over the last four years, with annual returns being considerably more volatile than the S&P 500.
—Trefis Team, Forbes, 15 Oct. 2024
Not only does the sheer setting and smoothing powder help manage oil production and smooth over texture, it’s packed with nourishing ingredients that hydrate the skin and clear out congestion—sans caking and creasing.
—Katie Decker-Jacoby, StyleCaster, 24 Sep. 2024
These security officials developed a thick web of diplomatic channels, including working groups and other semiformal contacts, to smooth over their different regulatory approaches.
—Henry Farrell, Foreign Affairs, 9 July 2013
See all Example Sentences for smooth over
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'smooth over.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near smooth over
Cite this Entry
“Smooth over.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/smooth%20over. Accessed 5 Nov. 2024.
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