as in downplays
to reduce in apparent importance
she politely tries to soft-pedal her accomplishments when talking to less fortunate people
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Recent Examples of soft-pedals
Patricia Gallagher Newberry, Cincinnati Enquirer, 2 Sep. 2025
Verb
Heringer believes the city soft-pedals crime, pointing to metrics that show improvement but not where pockets of violent crime persist.
—Patricia Gallagher Newberry, Cincinnati Enquirer, 2 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for soft-pedals
Verb
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The humble Toney downplays that nickname.—
Barry Jackson,
Miami Herald,
17 Jan. 2026
-
This downplays the robotic look somewhat.—
James Morris,
Forbes.com,
17 Jan. 2026
Verb
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This precaution minimizes electrical hazards during flooding.—
Southern California Weather Report,
Daily News,
11 Feb. 2026
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Or worse, women will share a menopause symptom with a provider who minimizes it.—
Jocelyn Solis-Moreira,
Flow Space,
11 Feb. 2026
Verb
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After Achillia gains victory in the arena and brings triumph to the House of Ashur, Caesar dismisses the agreement that would see Ashur gain favor among the Roman Empire.—
Andrew McGowan,
Variety,
7 Feb. 2026
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Continue reading … CABLE CRACKDOWN – FCC dismisses liberal hosts as agency enforces anti-bias policy.—
,
FOXNews.com,
4 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Soft-pedals.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/soft-pedals. Accessed 14 Feb. 2026.
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