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
-
Building, lighting plans draw criticism from community Parker’s campus currently sprawls six acres and has a 6-to-1 student-to-teacher ratio.—
Kate Perez,
Chicago Tribune,
23 May 2026
-
The closure drew criticism from the Primm family.—
Andrea Margolis,
FOXNews.com,
23 May 2026
Verb
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Maybe dinner is simply about getting food on the table quickly or minimizing dishes while spending time with your family — and that can still count as a successful meal.—
Lauren Jarvis-Gibson,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
22 May 2026
-
Maybe dinner is simply about getting food on the table quickly, or about minimizing dishes while spending time with your family — and Brown says that can still count as a successful meal.—
Lauren Jarvis-Gibson,
Sacbee.com,
22 May 2026
Noun
-
Advertising codes emphasize honesty, fairness, decency, responsibility, respect, transparency, legality, and minimization of harm.—
Encyclopedia Britannica,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
7 May 2026
-
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
Verb
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Some in Israel accuse United Nations observers and human rights groups of downplaying the issue.—
Matt Bradley,
NBC news,
14 May 2026
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As Starlink gains traction as a potential disruptor to traditional ISPs, Verizon’s CEO is downplaying the threat, predicting that satellite rivals SpaceX and Amazon will remain niche internet providers in the US.—
Michael Kan,
PC Magazine,
14 May 2026
Noun
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Their accounts, including confrontations with far-right security minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, have drawn international condemnation and diplomatic protests; Israeli prison officials dismiss the allegations as baseless as hundreds of activists are deported.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
22 May 2026
-
Whose response was not condemnation, but applause!—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
20 May 2026
Verb
-
However, not all analysts are dismissing that news that quickly.—
Eva Roytburg,
Fortune,
19 May 2026
-
Fox also erred in not dismissing attempts by Magness and Lee Watson to intervene in the lawsuit, the attorney general’s office claimed, saying neither has standing to take part in the litigation, since they aren’t named as defendants in the case.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
18 May 2026
Noun
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Over 200 students signed a petition demanding that Georgetown disinvite Schapiro because of his support of Israel and his denunciation of allegedly antisemitic protesters and professors on our campuses.—
Jonathan Zimmerman,
Chicago Tribune,
14 May 2026
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His stance isn’t a formal denunciation, however.—
Jolene Edgar,
Allure,
14 May 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 23 May. 2026.
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