whitewash

[ wahyt-wosh, -wawsh, hwahyt- ]

noun

1. a composition, as of lime and water or of whiting, size, and water, used for whitening walls, woodwork, etc.
2. anything, as deceptive words or actions, used to cover up or gloss over faults, errors, or wrongdoings, or absolve a wrongdoer from blame.
3. Sports Informal. a defeat in which the loser fails to score.

verb (used with object)

1. to whiten with whitewash.
2. to cover up or gloss over the faults or errors of, as to shield from suspicion or blame:

   His complaint with the soft drink industry is that they’ve whitewashed a serious health concern by normalizing the overconsumption of sugary beverages.

   The plan was to whitewash all the preliminary deals that led up to the “inadvertently illicit” contract, but the investigation revealed the coach’s hands all over those deals.

   Synonyms: exonerate, vindicate, excuse

3. Sports Informal. to defeat by keeping the opponent from scoring:

   The home team whitewashed the visitors eight to nothing.

4. 1. to cast a white actor to play (a character of color, or a character belonging to a minority group) in a film, television show, or play:

      The studio executives whitewashed the role of Genghis Khan, choosing a famous white actor who was a popular box-office draw.

   2. to exclude or erase (a minority character or group) by substituting a member or members of the dominant cultural group in fictional representations of historical events: erase ( def 6 ).

      The film whitewashes Black trans women, attributing their contributions and actions to white gay men.

whitewash

/ ˈwaɪtˌwɒʃ /

noun

1. a substance used for whitening walls and other surfaces, consisting of a suspension of lime or whiting in water, often with other substances, such as size, added
2. informal.
   deceptive or specious words or actions intended to conceal defects, gloss over failings, etc
3. informal.
   a defeat in a sporting contest in which the loser is beaten in every match, game, etc in a series

   they face the prospect of a whitewash in the five-test series

verb

1. to cover or whiten with whitewash
2. informal.
   to conceal, gloss over, or suppress
3. informal.
   to defeat (an opponent or opposing team) by winning every match in a series

Derived Forms

• ˈwhiteˌwasher, noun

Other Words From

• white·wash·er noun
• white·wash·ing noun
• un·white·washed adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of whitewash¹

First recorded in 1585–95; white + wash

Example Sentences

The terrorist organizations that Coates whitewashes or ignores openly and proudly insist that they want Israel destroyed.

From Los Angeles Times

At most historical museums in the U.S., he said, “It’s the white people’s history of that area,” omitting much and perhaps whitewashing much else.

From Los Angeles Times

The real and complex history of the United States, and how it was and continues to be shaped by racism and white supremacy is systemically whitewashed and distorted in the nation's schools and culture.

From Salon

But for Lanne’s descendants, it represents colonial brutality, the dehumanising myth that Tasmanian Aboriginal people are extinct, and the whitewashing of the island's past.

From BBC

In 2015, Disney was accused of whitewashing Tiger Lily by having Rooney Mara, a white woman, portray the Native American princess in “Pan.”

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• cover up
• gloss over

More About Whitewash

What does whitewash mean?

To whitewash is to intentionally hide some kind of wrongdoing, error, or unpleasant situation—or deal with it in a way that attempts to make it seem less bad than it is.

Whitewash can also be used as a noun referring to the deceptive words or actions used to cover something up in this way.

These figurative senses of the word come from its original, literal meaning: to cover or whiten with whitewash—a paintlike substance used to whiten surfaces like walls and wood. The word sometimes simply means to paint something white. (A classic passage in The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain involves Tom Sawyer tricking other boys into whitewashing a fence for him.)

The metaphor used in the figurative sense of the word is that of painting over flaws to cover them up instead of actually fixing them. This often involves only superficially addressing the problem, trying to distract from it, or trying to change the subject. The verb phrases gloss over and cover up are used in similar ways.

Example: The PR team has continually tried to whitewash the scandal by suggesting that the company was a victim of its own CEO’s negligence.

More recently, the word whitewash has become a slang term meaning to cast a white actor to play a character of color, such as in a TV show or movie. For example, if a movie were made based on a comic book in which a character was Asian, casting a white actor to play that character would be an instance of whitewashing.

Whitewash is also used in situations in which members of a marginalized group are excluded or erased through substitution with members of the dominant cultural group, such as in fictional representations of historical events.

The adjective whitewashed is sometimes used in a negative way to describe people of color whose identity or personality is thought to be more like that of their white peers than that of other people with the same cultural identity, especially when they primarily associate with white people. The term is typically used by people of color to criticize other people of color, such as those in immigrant or communities who are thought to have assimilated to the dominant white culture without maintaining many or any elements of their own cultural identity.

Example: Finally, we get a film in which we see a realistic depiction of the Black and Indigenous women behind the movement—not a version of the story that has been whitewashed by Hollywood.

Where does whitewash come from?

The first records of the word whitewash come from the late 1500s. It started to be used in a figurative way around the 1700s. (The more recent term greenwash is modeled on whitewash and refers to a superficial concern for environmental matters that is displayed by a company or organization to make it appear environmentally friendly.)

The sense of whitewash that involves downplaying, minimizing, or brushing off faults, problems, or negative information is especially used in the context of official political and corporate communications intended to hide scandalous information. Such words and actions are intended to deceptively cover over (or cover up) faults and scandals, not repair them—hence the metaphor. Things that have been whitewashed in this way can be said to have been swept under the rug (another expression based on a metaphor that involves hiding negative things).

The more recent sense of whitewash typically uses the word white in reference to white people. The term references the long history of white actors being hired instead of Black actors and other people of color due to racism, and the lack of representation that has resulted from it.

Did you know ... ?

What are some other forms related to whitewash?

• whitewashing (continuous tense verb, noun)
• whitewasher (noun)

What are some synonyms for whitewash?

• gloss over
• cover up
• suppress
• downplay
• minimize

What are some words that share a root or word element with whitewash? 

• greenwash

What are some words that often get used in discussing whitewash?

• paint
• scandal
• bury
• erasure
• representation
• diversity
• person of color

How is whitewash used in real life?

The figurative senses of whitewash are typically used in serious and critical ways.

Watergate-gate, or how the Nixon library has whitewashed the scandal that brought down a president: http://t.co/jOtH3fBIH7

— Mark Z. Barabak (@markzbarabak) March 1, 2013

I'm all for the home office to release the report in regards to grooming gangs.

However, I sincerely hope that the report isn't simply a whitewash, and the issue was properly and thoroughly investigated. I guess we won't know until it's released or leaked.

— Sir Peter Morris "Thank God we're out" (@petemorristwit) March 9, 2020

#DeafU, a Netflix show about #Deaf students at Gallaudet University, has zero Black Deaf woman. Nor does it have Deafblind or other multiply-disabled students. Mylo & I are disappointed.

Producers need to stop whitewashing the #disability experience. #DisabilityTooWhite pic.twitter.com/HZkY4hpTIz

— Haben Girma (@HabenGirma) October 11, 2020

Your discomfort at acknowledging Black History Month @wandsworthlibs is exactly why such a month is necessary. The haste to whitewash it and make it a “diversity” month instead speaks volumes. Stop erasing blackness.

— machine gun Kele (@kelechnekoff) October 2, 2018

Have you been to #Santorini? 🇬🇷 This must-visit island is known for it's whitewashed buildings, impressive views, scenic streets and much more ☀️ Find out more here: https://t.co/Igw5jTSExj pic.twitter.com/0Xxk8McXeT

— Jet2tweets (@jet2tweets) October 9, 2020

 

 

 

 

Try using whitewash!

Which of the following words is NOT a synonym of whitewash?

A. expose
B. cover up
C. minimize
D. suppress