as in criticism
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as in minimizing
to reduce in apparent importance
she politely tries to soft-pedal her accomplishments when talking to less fortunate people
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of soft-pedaling
Jim Hemphill, IndieWire, 23 Jan. 2026
Nothing grates quite like those slick pharmaceutical ads blaring across the TV, promising quick fixes while soft-pedaling potential side effects.
—Alex Ward, Boston Herald, 15 Aug. 2025
Verb
Whatever your preconceived notions about Feldman are, Hume’s film will expand and challenge them; the movie’s greatness lies in its ability to capture all of Feldman’s contradictions and self-destructiveness, empathizing with him without soft-pedaling his sins.
—Jim Hemphill, IndieWire, 23 Jan. 2026
Nothing grates quite like those slick pharmaceutical ads blaring across the TV, promising quick fixes while soft-pedaling potential side effects.
—Alex Ward, Boston Herald, 15 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for soft-pedaling
Noun
-
Descovich dismisses the criticism.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
4 Apr. 2026
-
Wise's role at the Justice Department drew criticism from congressional Democrats.—
Sarah N. Lynch,
CBS News,
3 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The serum is formulated with a holy grail powerhouse that consists of a fortifying complex, firming complex, and Matrixyl 3000—all pivotal for minimizing signs of aging.—
Alicia Geigel,
Southern Living,
2 Apr. 2026
-
Maybe so, but there's no minimizing the impact of size this week in Indianapolis.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
2 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
In fact, according to the EFF analyst, many lawmakers have recognized these approaches, such as data minimization, in existing age-verification proposals.—
Barbara Booth,
CNBC,
8 Mar. 2026
-
Monitoring and documentation requirements of releases are merely recommended, and avoidance and minimization of adverse impacts to animals, plants and the public are left up to the industry.—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
8 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
More than half reported hiding or downplaying their identity.—
Arielle Kaden,
New York Daily News,
29 Mar. 2026
-
Kennedy dismissed a key panel of 17 experts who advise CDC on its vaccine decisions last year, replacing them with his own picks, many of whom have emphasized the risks of vaccines while downplaying their health benefits.—
Brenda Goodman,
CNN Money,
25 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Reporting on this new policy prompted public condemnation as well as a letter of inquiry from senior House Republicans.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
3 Apr. 2026
-
The bill drew swift condemnation from rights groups and Muslim-majority countries including Pakistan, Turkey, Egypt, Indonesia, Jordan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.—
Gonzalo Zegarra,
CNN Money,
2 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Minnesota public universities can continue to offer in-state tuition and scholarships to some immigrants in the country without legal status, a federal judge ruled on Friday, dismissing a lawsuit filed by the Department of Justice last summer that attempted to halt the programs.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
28 Mar. 2026
-
While widely dismissing the appeal, the Court also referred preliminary questions to the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) regarding certain aspects of the obligation mechanism, leaving the legal debate open.—
Melanie Goodfellow,
Deadline,
27 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Ghio’s testimony in support of a controversial homeschool oversight bill at a public hearing two weeks ago turned a routine confirmation debate into a brief, if heated, defense of homeschoolers and denunciation of Ghio.—
Mark Pazniokas,
Hartford Courant,
26 Mar. 2026
-
This fit neatly into a wider culture of denunciation that took hold after 2022.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
18 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Following Rourke’s denouncement of the GoFundMe effort, Hines told fans that if Rourke didn’t want the money, donors would be reimbursed.—
Charisma Madarang,
Rolling Stone,
15 Jan. 2026
-
In coordination with former President Franklin Roosevelt’s public denouncement of discrimination of Black Americans, Plato, president of the Plato Construction Company, was contracted to build 88 houses on the site of Camp Taylor, the former military installation in southwest Louisville.—
Steve Wiser,
Louisville Courier Journal,
22 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Soft-pedaling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/soft-pedaling. Accessed 4 Apr. 2026.
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