Definition

1. Noun:

   • A deceptive clearing or cover-up: A "whitewash" is a superficial or dishonest attempt to conceal faults, errors, or unpleasant facts, making them seem less serious or nonexistent.
   • A lime-based wash for walls: A mixture of lime, water, and sometimes other materials (like size) used for painting walls or fences white.
   • A decisive defeat without scoring: In sports, a "whitewash" refers to a game or series where the losing side fails to score any points.

2. Verb:

   • To conceal faults or errors dishonestly: To "whitewash" means to cover up or gloss over mistakes, crimes, or negative information, often through a biased or inadequate investigation.
   • To apply whitewash: To paint a surface with a whitewash mixture.
   • To defeat decisively without allowing a score: In sports, to defeat an opponent so thoroughly that they score zero points.

Usage Examples

• Noun:

  • The official report was a complete whitewash, ignoring all evidence of corruption.
  • We need to buy more whitewash for the garden fence.
  • The team suffered a humiliating 5-0 whitewash in the championship final.

• Verb:

  • The committee tried to whitewash the scandal, but the truth eventually came out.
  • They decided to whitewash the old brick wall to brighten the courtyard.
  • Our team managed to whitewash our rivals in last night's match.

Advanced Usage

• "to give something a whitewash": To perform a superficial or deceptive cover-up of a problem.
  • The government's inquiry gave the incident a quick whitewash.

Variants and Related Words

• Whitewashing (gerund/noun): The act or process of applying whitewash or of covering something up.
  • The whitewashing of the historical facts was widely criticized.

Synonyms

• Noun (for cover-up): Cover-up, gloss-over, exoneration.
• Verb (for covering up): Cover up, gloss over, conceal, sugarcoat.

Related Phrases

• "a coat of whitewash": Literally, a layer of whitewash paint. Figuratively, a superficial attempt to improve the appearance of something bad.
  • The reforms were just a coat of whitewash on the same old problems.

Noun

1. a specious or deceptive clearing that attempts to gloss over failings and defects
2. wash consisting of lime and size in water; used for whitening walls and other surfaces
3. a defeat in which the losing person or team fails to score

Verb

1. exonerate by means of a perfunctory investigation or through biased presentation of data
2. cover with whitewash
   • whitewash walls
3. cover up a misdemeanor, fault, or error
   • Let's not whitewash the crimes of Stalin
   • She tried to gloss over her mistakes