as in downplays
to reduce in apparent importance
she politely tries to soft-pedal her accomplishments when talking to less fortunate people
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Recent Examples of soft-pedals
Patricia Gallagher Newberry, Cincinnati Enquirer, 2 Sep. 2025
Verb
Heringer believes the city soft-pedals crime, pointing to metrics that show improvement but not where pockets of violent crime persist.
—Patricia Gallagher Newberry, Cincinnati Enquirer, 2 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for soft-pedals
Verb
-
Writer/director Hammer, though, downplays the melodrama inherent to this scenario, even while shooting sequences, whether in Martin and Leslie’s apartment or in various hospitals, with a bracing handheld intimacy.—
Ryan Lattanzio,
IndieWire,
17 Feb. 2026
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The split between Pack, who went on to start his own venture firm Hack VC, and Dragonfly is the stuff of crypto VC lore, though Qureshi downplays the drama.—
Leo Schwartz,
Fortune,
17 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
This precaution minimizes electrical hazards during flooding.—
Southern California Weather Report,
Daily News,
18 Feb. 2026
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This precaution minimizes electrical hazards during flooding.—
Bay Area Weather Report,
Mercury News,
17 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Henry dismisses Yasmin but can’t shake the niggling feeling that his wife isn’t entirely wrong.—
Amanda Whiting,
Vulture,
16 Feb. 2026
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Eduardo Bolsonaro dismisses concerns that the current electoral scenario could split the vote and lead to a first-round electoral victory for Lula.—
David Unsworth,
FOXNews.com,
14 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Soft-pedals.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/soft-pedals. Accessed 20 Feb. 2026.
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