Sugarcoat It

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To “sugarcoat it” means to make something seem better or less harsh than it actually is. It refers to the act of softening the truth or presenting it in a more positive and pleasant way.

Examples:
1. Friend 1: How did you like my performance?
Friend 2: Well, if I had to sugarcoat it, I would say it was interesting, but there is definitely room for improvement.

2. Teacher: I’m afraid you didn’t do well on the test.
Student: Please, just sugarcoat it for me. How bad was it?
Teacher: Alright, your performance was far from satisfactory. You need to study harder.

In these examples, both Friend 2 and the teacher are asked to sugarcoat their responses to soften the criticism. Instead of directly expressing their negative opinions, they choose to make their comments more gentle yet still convey the truth.

Synonyms:
sweeten, embellish, prettify, candycoat, camouflage
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