as in downplays
to reduce in apparent importance
she politely tries to soft-pedal her accomplishments when talking to less fortunate people
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for soft pedals
Verb
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Even as Vancouver publicly downplays its conviction about Cootes, internally, the conversation around him is beginning to shift materially.—
Thomas Drance,
New York Times,
30 Sep. 2025 -
The film’s overall low-key tenor downplays both moral judgment and conspicuous style, though neither are entirely lacking.—
Dennis Harvey,
Variety,
22 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Your Lawn Aerating the lawn helps nutrients reach deeper into the soil, minimizes compaction, and can help when overseeding the lawn.—
Lauren David,
Southern Living,
3 Oct. 2025
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At the time, Lee minimizes the bombshell by way of embellishment.—
Amanda Whiting,
Vulture,
1 Oct. 2025
Verb
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As for the third criticism—that the point system is gamification, trivializing death and destruction—Prickly dismisses it out of hand.—
Tamar Jacoby,
Forbes.com,
19 Sep. 2025
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The poem dismisses prevailing emphases on externals, stressing instead the formative powers of one’s inner being.—
Daniella Walsh,
Oc Register,
18 Sep. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Soft pedals.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/soft%20pedals. Accessed 5 Oct. 2025.
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