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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as in criticism
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Recent Examples of soft-pedaling
Alex Ward, Boston Herald, 15 Aug. 2025
Noun
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
Verb
-
Like many of my favorite picks, these boots also utilize a wide toe box, minimizing blisters and maximizing comfort.—
Alice Bennett,
Travel + Leisure,
11 Sep. 2025
-
This approach allows your team to learn and adapt, minimizing disruption for end users and ensuring a smoother transition.—
Rajat Bhargava,
Forbes.com,
10 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Among Democrats, criticism has grown louder as the war becomes deeply unpopular with the party base.—
David Sivak,
The Washington Examiner,
12 Sep. 2025
-
But the Cowboys, who gave out big extensions to wide receiver CeeDee Lamb and quarterback Dak Prescott, couldn't come to terms with him on a new deal, which led to Jones receiving plenty of criticism.—
Robert Marvi,
MSNBC Newsweek,
12 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Musk has been downplaying the bad numbers by trying to shift investors’ focus to Tesla’s other business of making robots and advances in the artificial intelligence behind its cars and robotaxis.—
Preston Fore,
Fortune,
11 Sep. 2025
-
The bond market got to this mode of downplaying inflation and embracing a dovish Fed phase before the CPI hit.—
Michael Santoli,
CNBC,
11 Sep. 2025
Noun
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But regulatory frameworks such as the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), California Privacy Rights Act (CPRA) and Colorado Artificial Intelligence Act (CAIA) emphasize data minimization, retention limits and individual privacy rights.—
Asaf Kochan,
Forbes.com,
11 Sep. 2025
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In jurisdictions like the EU, mishandling personal information may violate provisions of the bloc’s strict data privacy law, GDPR, which includes principles like data minimization, informed consent, and the right to be forgotten.—
Beatrice Nolan,
Fortune,
22 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Put frankly, dismissing intention has boxed the ivory tower into a corner for its ability to handle difficult conversations relating to religion.—
Matthew Mayhew,
Forbes.com,
8 Sep. 2025
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The singer defended Siwa and recounted her own experiences as a bisexual woman falling in love with a man after previously dismissing the idea.—
Anthony Robledo,
USA Today,
6 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Kremlin propagandists have disparaged NATO members' reaction to Europe's condemnation of Moscow after Russian drones breached the territory of Poland.—
Brendan Cole,
MSNBC Newsweek,
11 Sep. 2025
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His death has drawn condolences — and condemnation of political violence — from both sides of the aisle.—
Rachel Treisman,
NPR,
11 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Public denunciations grow Rokita's request comes as several grassroots efforts grow to publicly shame and punish Kirk’s detractors.—
Cate Charron,
IndyStar,
15 Sep. 2025
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Their opposition turned to bitter denunciation last week after state government was exempted from its impact.—
Dan Walters,
Mercury News,
11 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Kennedy has long held anti-vaccine beliefs that came to a head with his denouncement of the Covid-19 vaccines.—
Rebecca Cohen,
NBC news,
9 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Soft-pedaling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/soft-pedaling. Accessed 16 Sep. 2025.
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