phrase
General Slang
putting lipstick on a pig
PUT-ing LIP-stik on uh PIG · phrase · informal
Dressing up something that's still bad.
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Definitions
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Making superficial improvements that don't change something's fundamental ugliness or flaws.
“New rims on that clunker is just putting lipstick on a pig.”
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putting lipstick on a pig In A Sentence
New rims on that clunker is just putting lipstick on a pig.
Origin & Usage
American idiom; adornment can't disguise an unappealing base.
Variants
lipstick on a pig
People Also Ask
What does "putting lipstick on a pig" mean?
It means making cosmetic improvements to something that's fundamentally flawed—the surface changes but the underlying problem remains.
How do you use it?
Use it to dismiss a superficial fix, e.g. "New rims on that clunker is just putting lipstick on a pig."
Is it an insult?
It's dismissive of the thing being dressed up rather than a personal insult, though it can be used pointedly.
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