put lipstick on a pig
Cosmetic change only
To put lipstick on a pig is to dress up something fundamentally flawed in hopes of making it attractive.
The cosmetic improvement doesn't change what's underneath: Rebranding won't help—you're just putting lipstick on a pig.
The phrase emphasizes futility and suggests attempted deception, implying the disguise fools no one.
- old wine in a new bottleSomething unchanged despite new presentation
- superficialLacking depth or substance
- cosmeticSurface-level appearance enhancer
- disguiseIdentity-concealing alteration
- whitewashConceal or coat pale
paper over the cracks · gloss over · sugarcoat · varnish · embellish · false advertising · bait and switch · facade · polish a turd · window dressing · gild the lily · deceptive · smoke and mirrors · smoke screen · dress up · cover-up · mislead · pretense
put lipstick on a pigoverhaul
Complete systematic repair
start from scratch · turn over a new leaf · systemic change · paradigm shift · reinvent
put lipstick on a pigcall a spade a spade
Speak without euphemism
tell it like it is · come clean · face the music · warts and all · brutal honesty
putting, lipstick, lipsticks, lipped, stick, sticks, sticking, sticky