whitewash
Language: English
Part of speech: verb
Pronunciation: note: Received Pronunciation, wine–whine merger
ipa: /ˈwaɪtwɒʃ/
ipa: /ˈʍaɪtˌwɑʃ/
ipa: /ˈʍɐɪt-/
note: wine–whine merger
ipa: /ˈwaɪt-/
note: Canadian raising
ipa: /ˈʍɐɪtˌwɑʃ/
note: wine–whine merger
ipa: /ˈwɐɪt-/
Forms: form: whitewashes
form: whitewashing
form: whitewashed
form: whitewashed
Etymology: The noun is derived from white (adjective) + wash (noun). Noun sense 5.1 (“medicinal preparation for treating skin diseases”) is a calque of New Latin lōtiō alba (literally “white wash”).
The verb is derived partly from white (adjective) + wash (verb), and partly from the noun.
Senses: examples: text: The houses looked very bright after they had whitewashed the whole neighbourhood.
text: Provided that any such window or skylight may be whitewashed or shaded for the purpose of mitigating heat or glare.
ref: 1978, Commissioner for Labour, “Factories and Industrial Undertakings (Amendment) Regulations 1978”, in Hong Kong Government Gazette, page B538:
glosses: To paint (a building, a wall, etc.) a bright white with whitewash (noun sense 1).
examples: text: If you appreciate historical accuracy and fair inclusion, don't go see this film [Stonewall (2015)]. If you don’t want to fuel the economy at another Hollywood attempt of whitewashing American history, don't give any aspect of this film a single dime or promotion.
ref: 2015 August 6, Ernest Owens, “Hollywood, Don’t You Dare Whitewash Stonewall”, in HuffPost, archived from the original on 16 Apr 2025:
text: Sofia Coppola's The Beguiled cuts the book's black characters, whitewashing its tale of the Civil War–era South. At this point, that's hardly a surprise. [subtitle]
ref: 2017 June 20, Corey Atad, “Lost in Adaptation”, in Slate, New York, N.Y.: The Slate Group, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 10 Jun 2025:
glosses: To distort or give a misleading account of (history, a narrative, etc.) by discounting the participation of people of colour and focusing on white people.
examples: text: From Scarlett Johansson's heroine in the remake of the anime classic to Tilda Swinton as a Himalayan high priest in Doctor Strange, the film industry stands accused of whitewashing Asian characters and culture. Does it have a defence? [subtitle] […] Swinton replied that Dr Strange's writers were seeking to avoid the tired Orientalist stereotype of the "wise old Eastern geezer" or "Fu Manchu type". […] In other words, it was whitewashing in the name of diversity.
ref: 2017 March 31, Steve Rose, “Ghost in the Shell’s whitewashing: does Hollywood have an Asian problem?”, in Katharine Viner, editor, The Guardian, London: Guardian News & Media, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 20 Jul 2025:
topics: broadcasting
film
media
television
glosses: To distort or give a misleading account of (history, a narrative, etc.) by discounting the participation of people of colour and focusing on white people.
To cast a white actor in a role for a person of colour in (a film, television programme, etc.).
examples: text: One of Naomi Osaka's sponsors has been forced to apologise after depicting the Japanese tennis star, who is half-Haitian, with pale skin in an advertisement. […] The company said it had not intended to "whitewash" the athlete, […] The ad, which also features her compatriot Kei Nishikori, drew criticism on social media, with many users accusing Nissin of whitewashing Osaka, whose mother is Japanese.
ref: 2019 January 23, Justin McCurry, “Naomi Osaka sponsor apologises for ‘whitewashing’ tennis star in ad”, in Katharine Viner, editor, The Guardian, London: Guardian News & Media, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 13 Dec 2024:
topics: media
glosses: To distort or give a misleading account of (history, a narrative, etc.) by discounting the participation of people of colour and focusing on white people.
To make over (someone of colour) so that they appear more white, for example, by applying lightening makeup to their skin or digitally manipulating an image of them.
qualifier: often passive voice
glosses: To cover or coat (something) with a white substance, as if with whitewash (noun sense 1); also, to light up (something) with white light.
examples: text: Meanwhile, Sam, having been formally introduced to the whitewashed gentleman and his friends, as the offspring of Mr. Weller, of the Belle Savage, was treated with marked distinction, and invited to regale himself with them in honour of the occasion—an invitation which he was by no means backward in accepting.
ref: 1836, Charles Dickens, The Pickwick Papers 43
topics: business
glosses: To clear (someone's) debts, especially through a declaration of bankruptcy by a court; also, to clear or write off (a debt).
examples: text: In his sermon, the minister didn’t try to whitewash over the sins of his church.
text: Novv, Sir, vvhen my Time comes, leſt they ſhou'd think it vvorth vvhile to handle my Memory vvith the ſame Freedom, I am vvilling to prevent its being ſo odly beſmear'd (or at beſt but flatly vvhite-vvash'd) by taking upon me to give the Publick This, as true a Picture of myſelf as natural Vanity vvill permit me to dravv; […]
ref: 1740, Colley Cibber, chapter I, in An Apology for the Life of Mr. Colley Cibber, […], London: […] John Watts for the author, →OCLC, page 3:
text: The books have yet to be written. But there is no question that Ms. Park [Geun-hye] and her Saenuri Party will whitewash the past to bolster the conservative cause at the expense of the education system and South Korea's international reputation as a democracy, and harm Seoul's attempt to hold Japan accountable for its wartime conduct.
ref: 2015 November 12, Se-Woong Koo, “South Korea’s textbook whitewash”, in The New York Times, New York, N.Y.: The New York Times Company, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 07 Mar 2025:
text: “It pisses me off to see Republican lawmakers continue to spread the lies and conspiracy theories regarding January 6, in an attempt to whitewash that day, because it’s politically inconvenient for them to acknowledge the reality of what happened,” [Michael] Fanone said during an MSNBC interview Friday.
ref: 2024 January 6, Nick Robertson, “Fanone says GOP lawmakers attempt to ‘whitewash’ Jan. 6 due to ‘politically inconvenient’ reality”, in The Hill, Washington, D.C.: Capitol Hill Publishing Company, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 12 Aug 2024:
topics: government
politics
synonyms: cover up
gloss over#English: cover up, figuratively
paper over
antonyms: blackwash
glosses: To hide (someone's) mistakes, or to create an appearance of honesty, propriety, etc., for (someone); also, to intentionally hide or overlook (mistakes, unfavourable facts, wrongdoing, etc.).
examples: text: Australia whitewashed the West Indies 3–0.
topics: hobbies
lifestyle
sports
synonyms: skunk
glosses: To achieve a complete victory or series of victories over (an opponent) without suffering any losses; also, to achieve a victory or series of victories over (an opponent) by a very large margin.
topics: cosmetics
lifestyle
glosses: To make (the face, etc.) look lighter with makeup or a similar preparation.
glosses: Synonym of bleach (“to treat (fabric) with a substance which lightens or whitens”).
synonyms: word: bleach
extra: (“to treat (fabric) with a substance which lightens or whitens”)
glosses: To paint bright white with whitewash (noun sense 1).
topics: business
glosses: To have debts cleared through a declaration of bankruptcy by a court.
topics: business
construction
manufacturing
masonry
glosses: Of bricks: to become encrusted with a white layer of soluble salts due to efflorescence.
Derived terms: word: bluewash
word: brownwash
word: cloudwash
word: greenwash
word: openwash
word: pinkwash
word: purplewash
word: -wash
word: whitewashed
word: whitewasher
word: whitewashing