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
Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 31 Mar. 2026
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
Verb
This loud-and-proud version of Sonny certainly feels progressive, but in a different way it soft-pedals Sonny’s complications.
—Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 31 Mar. 2026
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
-
That's likely why Mindelle downplays that part of the gig, and instead focuses on the comedy that keeps her on her toes.—
Dave Quinn,
PEOPLE,
29 May 2026
-
Ezelle, however, downplays his role in advising DBGI.—
Daniel Libit,
Sportico.com,
12 May 2026
Verb
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This capability minimizes downtime and enables continuous 24/7 operation, improving equipment utilization and productivity.—
Jijo Malayil,
Interesting Engineering,
2 June 2026
-
Failing to Declutter First Trying to overhaul your current storage system while the garage is cramped with clutter (which also minimizes the value of your home) is unproductive.—
Mary Cornetta,
Better Homes & Gardens,
28 May 2026
Verb
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For her part Zoe, mature well beyond her tender age, dismisses the hype with a shrug.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
30 May 2026
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The day’s ruling from Sorokin, who was appointed to his position by former President Barack Obama, dismisses all claims against Mayor Michelle Wu, Police Commissioner Michael Cox and the Boston Police Department.—
Gayla Cawley,
Boston Herald,
28 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Soft-pedals.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/soft-pedals. Accessed 4 Jun. 2026.
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