sugar-coat the pill

sugar-coat the pill

To make something bad, unpleasant, or dissatisfactory easier to cope with, endure, or accept. The bosses are giving everyone an extra 10% bonus this Christmas, but I suspect it's a way of sugar-coating the pill that there will be massive pay cuts in January. I have to tell my mom about wrecking her car, but I need to find a way to sugar-coat the pill first.
See also: pill
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.
See also:
  • sweeten the pill
  • sugar the pill
  • sugar/sweeten the pill
  • suck it up
  • come to a bad end
  • come to a bad/sticky end
  • have no stomach for something
  • have the stomach for
  • be tainted by (something)
  • England
References in periodicals archive
Some of the early models have died, while some who originally came to watch are now themselves battling the illness, and he is hard-headed enough not to sugar-coat the pill.
Milne tells of motivation ation for Courage; CHARITY CATWALK EVENT ? Exclusive: Key sponsor reveals what drives his fundraising efforts
APOEL's spokesman pointed out that the CFA tried to "sugar-coat the pill" by deciding that the match should recommence from the beginning and not be played for the remaining 39 minutes.
APOEL fans gather to protest match decision