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
-
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
-
This precaution minimizes electrical hazards during flooding.—
Bay Area Weather Report,
Mercury News,
31 Jan. 2026
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Unlike autonomous cars which operate on public roads and uncontrolled environments, agriculture occurs on private land where everything is more controlled, which minimizes regulatory hurdles and potential for accidents.—
Sabbir Rangwala,
Forbes.com,
26 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Yet this gloss dismisses something that might be better understood as a guiding principle, and suggests that criticism of Israel is an idealist’s liability rather than a stance with growing support among Democratic voters.—
Molly Fischer,
New Yorker,
21 Jan. 2026
-
Leadership that dismisses or undermines inclusion inflicts real harm on students, faculty, and staff.—
Wanda James,
Denver Post,
13 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Soft-pedals.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/soft-pedals. Accessed 5 Feb. 2026.
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