soft-pedal

1 of 2

verb

soft-ped·​al ˈsȯf(t)-ˈpe-dᵊl 

soft-pedaled; soft-pedaling; soft-pedals

transitive verb

1

: play down, de-emphasize

soft-pedal the issue

2

: to use the soft pedal in playing

soft pedal

2 of 2

noun

1

: a foot pedal on a piano that reduces the volume of sound

2

: something that muffles, deadens, or reduces effect

Synonyms of soft-pedal

Verb

• downplay
• minimize
• dismiss

Examples of soft-pedal in a Sentence

Verb

she politely tries to soft-pedal her accomplishments when talking to less fortunate people

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

Questlove is too much of a humanist to soft-pedal’s Maurice White’s contradictions. — Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 4 June 2026

Old school with a gift for storytelling, Simon was not one to soft-pedal his mentees. — Dana O’Neil, CNN Money, 9 May 2026

Noun

But at least Chalamet doesn’t try to soft pedal Dylan’s surliness and careerism, and his vocal re-creations are mostly spot on. — Peter Rainer, Christian Science Monitor, 27 Feb. 2025

Authors aimed at the business market tend to soft pedal AI, speaking only about the benefits while downplaying or outright ignoring the dangers. — David A. Teich, Forbes, 10 Sep. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

Verb

1912, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

1817, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for soft-pedal

• bipedal
• bedell
• heddle
• medal
• meddle
• pedal
• peddle
• wedel
• intermeddle