sweeten the pill

present singular third person sweetens the pill · participle present sweetening the pill · participle past sweetened the pill · past sweetened the pill

1. Synonym of sugarcoat the pill.

   It sweetened this pill by explaining that this figure was not a direct loss - that it was only £170-£410m (£280-£670m today) - because we benefited from Metronet's capital spending.

   2024 September 4, Philip Haigh, “Can public-private partnerships be made to deliver?”, in RAIL, number 1017, page 53

   2 more examples

   This would not sweeten the pill to the French; but in making that acquisition we had some view to our own good as well as theirs, and I believe the greatest good of both will be promoted by whatever will amalgamate us together.

   1807 January 13, Thomas Jefferson, “Letter to John Dickinson”, in The Papers of Thomas Jefferson

   Exercise of all sorts is one of the lessons we are to learn,” said Mrs. Minot, suggesting all the pleasant things she could to sweeten the pill for her pupils, two of whom did love their books, not being old enough to know that even an excellent thing may be overdone.

   1880, Louisa May Alcott, chapter XXIII, in Jack and Jill: A Village Story

   Synonyms: sugarcoat the pill