as in minimizing
to reduce in apparent importance
she politely tries to soft-pedal her accomplishments when talking to less fortunate people
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in criticism
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Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for soft-pedaling
Verb
-
Once stationary, deactivate all lights except the hazard flashers, engage the emergency brake, and release the brake pedal to ensure your tail lights remain unlit, minimizing the chance of other drivers colliding with your stationary vehicle.—
NC Weather Bot,
Charlotte Observer,
15 Mar. 2025 -
And for an administration that has premised itself on efficiency, a never-ending loop of funding bait and switch does not exactly make for minimizing waste.—
Katherine J. Wu,
The Atlantic,
14 Mar. 2025
Noun
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But the colloquial use of the term has prompted criticism from some.—
Rebecca Schneid,
Time,
20 July 2025
-
Chicago Sky star Angel Reese was one of many WNBA players who have expressed criticism of the league's handling of negotiations.—
Ryan Gaydos,
FOXNews.com,
20 July 2025
Verb
-
Too often, boards respond by downplaying concerns, offering vague explanations, or shifting blame elsewhere.—
Committee of 200,
Forbes.com,
9 Apr. 2025
-
Abandoning Ukraine and Europe and downplaying the Middle East to prioritize the Indo-Pacific is not a clever geopolitical chess move.—
Raja Krishnamoorthi,
MSNBC Newsweek,
9 Apr. 2025
Verb
-
Most importantly, the proposal provides that, when discovery items are turned over belatedly, judges can impose consequences that stop short of dismissing the whole case, if a lesser remedy can ensure fairness to the defendant.—
Jane Manning,
New York Daily News,
31 Mar. 2025
-
Just a few days later, the Israeli government effectively began the process of dismissing Gali Baharav-Miara, Israel’s attorney general.—
Aaron Boxerman,
New York Times,
27 Mar. 2025
Noun
-
Fremantle masterfully captures the emotional weight of a young woman forced to fight for her voice, her future, and her dignity in the face of societal condemnation.—
Lee Sharrock,
Forbes.com,
21 July 2025
-
There has been international condemnation of the attack, including from key Israeli ally the US, which comes at a time when there has been no let up in the offensive in Gaza.—
Sophie Tanno,
CNN Money,
18 July 2025
Noun
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But there was also something distorted about the ritual denunciations of Trump, which inevitably invoked the specter of white colonialism.—
Jonathan Zimmerman,
New York Daily News,
16 July 2025
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The nation has fixed its eye on the protests: the film’s opening sequence shows denunciations of the uprisings from both conservative and liberal news media.—
Doreen St. Félix,
New Yorker,
17 May 2025
Noun
-
The first censure was approved by the council on Feb. 4 by a 4-0 vote with Blain absent, amid allegations of vote trading, threatening recalls against colleagues and attempting to use law enforcement to silence critics.—
Julie Gallant,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
10 July 2025
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In court filings, Libby’s lawyers argued the censure violated her First Amendment rights to free speech and tied it to broader legislative rights.—
Chris Wade,
The Washington Examiner,
8 July 2025
Noun
-
The actor also has been involved in occurrences of being verbal and physically aggressive, hurling racists invectives, as well as being out and out violent on a number of occasions.—
Dominic Patten,
Deadline,
22 July 2025
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After nights of clashes, then-President Donald Trump, known for issuing directives and invectives through social media, fired off a series of posts shortly before 1 a.m. on Friday, May 29, 2020.—
Chelsea Bailey,
CNN Money,
24 May 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Soft-pedaling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/soft-pedaling. Accessed 31 Jul. 2025.
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