Word for describing in a positive sense

What is a word that means to say in a positive sense? For instance, when writers say that a person was sexually assaulted instead of saying raped.

Or people use let go instead of fired.

What is that called?


Solution 1:

Such a usage is called a Euphemism.

"A figure of rhetoric by which an unpleasant or offensive thing is described or referred to by a milder term" (Chambers)

Solution 2:

A euphemism.

(Note, though, that sexual assault is a crime distinct from rape.)

Solution 3:

A slang term is "sugar-coating the [bitter] pill."