whitewashed

Describes something that has been deliberately covered up, concealed, or made to appear more acceptable or less offensive than it actually is.

• 🇫🇷Qualifie quelque chose qui a été délibérément dissimulé, édulcoré ou présenté sous un jour plus acceptable ou moins choquant que la réalité.

1. Coated with whitewash B1 formal

   Covered with a white liquid mixture, typically made of lime and water, used for painting walls or ceilings.

   • The cottage had whitewashed walls that gleamed in the sunlight.
   • They whitewashed the old fence to make it look fresh.
   • The interior of the church was whitewashed and simple.

   🇫🇷badigeonné à la chaux

   Synonymes: whitened

• more whitewashed comparative form
• most whitewashed superlative form

A verb used to describe the act of covering up or glossing over faults, errors, or scandals, or literally applying a white coating to a surface.

• 🇫🇷Verbe utilisé pour décrire l'action de dissimuler ou d'embellir des défauts, erreurs ou scandales, ou littéralement d'appliquer un enduit blanc sur une surface.

1. Cover up a mistake or wrongdoing B2 informal

   To deliberately hide or conceal a mistake, fault, or illegal action to avoid blame or scandal.

   • The company tried to whitewash the environmental scandal by paying off the inspectors.
   • Politicians often whitewash their failures during election campaigns.
   • The report was criticized for whitewashing the true extent of the problem.

   🇫🇷dissimuler une faute

   Synonymes: camouflageconcealcover upgloss overhidehush upmasksuppresssweep under the rugveil

   Antonymes: discloseexposereveal

2. Paint with whitewash B1 formal

   To apply a mixture of lime and water to a surface, typically a wall or fence, to whiten it.

   • The farmer whitewashed the barn to protect it from the weather.
   • They whitewashed the old stone wall to give it a fresh look.
   • The fence was whitewashed every spring as part of the tradition.

   🇫🇷Badigeonner à la chaux

   Synonymes: white

3. Exonerate through biased investigation C1 formal

   To clear someone of blame or wrongdoing using a superficial or biased investigation that ignores evidence.

   • The internal inquiry was seen as an attempt to whitewash the CEO's involvement.
   • Critics accused the committee of whitewashing the officer's misconduct.
   • The investigation was so perfunctory that it effectively whitewashed the entire affair.

   🇫🇷Blanchir (par enquête partiale)

   Antonymes: blamecondemnconvictincriminate

• whitewashed past participle
• whitewashed past simple
• whitewashing present participle
• whitewashes third person singular