soft-shoe

adjective

ˈsȯf(t)-ˈshü 

: of or relating to tap dancing done in soft-soled shoes without metal taps

Examples of soft-shoe in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Amid dystopia, soft-shoe, and a life story told in reverse, Hamill’s character, Albie, believes that answers can be found in the night sky—and also in numbers. —Sarah Larson, New Yorker, 23 June 2025

Scents of jazz, blues, Dixieland, boogie-woogie, soft-shoe, calypso, rag and rumba waft by in catchy new arrangements. —Jesse Green, New York Times, 25 Apr. 2025

Phoenix doesn’t execute a single successful soft-shoe routine. —Armond White, National Review, 29 Nov. 2024

The two shared a nickname for Satan: Old Slew Foot, a colonial-era sobriquet for the cloven-hoofed devil that spoke to the legendary tap and soft-shoe performer. —Alex Bhattacharji, Rolling Stone, 4 Aug. 2024

Dressed identically in pale blue suits, bow ties and straw hats, the dancers synchronize blissfully with the music (a soft-shoe tune by Harry Warren and Johnny Mercer) and with one another. —Jesse Green, New York Times, 19 Mar. 2023

Word History

First Known Use

1888, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for soft-shoe

• blew
• blue
• boo
• brew
• chew
• chou
• clue
• coo
• coup
• crew
• cue
• dew

Kids Definition

soft-shoe

noun

ˈsȯf(t)-ˈshü

: a form of stage dancing developed from tap dancing but done with soft-soled shoes and at a slower tempo and more relaxed rhythm