as in criticism
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Dissimilar Words
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
-
Her organization has drawn sharp criticism from pro-Israel groups.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
28 Mar. 2026
-
Bart Jansen Secretary of State Marco Rubio dismissed criticism of the United States and Israel from Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi to the United Nations Human Rights Commission.—
Bart Jansen,
USA Today,
28 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Sponsored and provided by LifeBridge Health Maintaining adequate nutrition during cancer treatment is important for sustaining strength, minimizing side effects and supporting the best treatment response possible.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
27 Mar. 2026
-
The plan also is aimed at minimizing its impact on the neighborhood.—
Bob Goldsborough,
Chicago Tribune,
26 Mar. 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
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More than half reported hiding or downplaying their identity.—
Arielle Kaden,
New York Daily News,
29 Mar. 2026
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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
-
In the days and weeks following the Hamas massacre of innocent Israelis on October 7, 2023, students and colleagues alike in his academic community posted fiery condemnations of and expressions of moral disgust toward … Israel.—
Jesse Brown,
The Atlantic,
24 Mar. 2026
-
Without it, moral disagreement can quickly descend into condemnation.—
Eranda Jayawickreme,
The Conversation,
24 Mar. 2026
Verb
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On this front, Hochul is correct to push for a reevaluation, and the lawmakers dismissing the idea out-of-hand should come up with viable alternatives for protecting New Yorkers from price shocks that are well out of their control.—
New York Daily News Editorial Board,
New York Daily News,
22 Mar. 2026
-
Missé, of course, is upset about it, particularly because Margo brings up what Kimi said about the murder being drug related while dismissing it, which is the part that makes this discussion tricky.—
Brian Moylan,
Vulture,
20 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
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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 31 Mar. 2026.
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