冗じょう談だんに紛まぎらす

expression, godan verb (-su)

pass off as a joke; laugh off; cover up with a joke

Used when someone tries to hide an embarrassing or serious remark/action by pretending it was a joke. Often implies a deliberate attempt to deflect. Rare term; more common alternatives include 冗談でごまかす or 冗談にしてしまう.

See also: 紛らす

• 彼かれは本ほん音ねを言いいかけて、慌あわてて冗じょう談だんに紛まぎらした。

  He started to say what he really thought, then hurriedly passed it off as a joke.

• 失しつ言げんを冗じょう談だんに紛まぎらそうとしたが、誰だれも笑わらわなかった。

  He tried to laugh off his slip of the tongue as a joke, but nobody laughed.