1
as in to coax
to get (someone) to do something by gentle urging, special attention, or flattery
she cunningly soft-soaped her parents into letting her go on the trip
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to honey
to praise too much
shrewd voters who know when a politician is trying to soft-soap them
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in butter
excessive praise
a salesman who knows the value of soft soap in making a sale
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of soft-soap
Damon Wise, Deadline, 20 Nov. 2025
President Donald Trump must stop begging and soft-soaping Vladimir Putin and use our military might to force him to give up his designs upon Ukraine and its neighbors.
—Chicago Tribune, 19 May 2025
So do her successes in soft-soaping some recalcitrant senators into supporting the mission’s funding.
—Richard Brody, The New Yorker, 11 July 2024
Ellen T. Meiser, The Conversation, 5 Dec. 2025
People should wash any skin that comes into contact with the slurry with water and soft soap, before using a hand cream to avoid dryness and cracking.
—Lauren Penington, The Denver Post, 2 Sep. 2024
Most of the questions aimed at the ironic American director of Raging Bull, Taxi Driver and Goodfellas were less softballs than soft soap, with reporters as interested in Scorsese’s favorite food — his mother’s lasagna recipe — as the movies in his peerless filmography.
—Scott Roxborough, The Hollywood Reporter, 20 Feb. 2024
Founder and creative director Joy Cho’s lifestyle brand offers whimsical products, spanning bandages to soft soap, as well as regular editorial content online.
—Los Angeles Times, 31 Mar. 2021
For spills or stains, spot cleaning with soft soap like Zero or Woolite.
—Rachel Klein, Forbes, 3 Mar. 2021
Later, barber is seen crouching on his bed, holding lighted match under jam jar of water, soft soap and boot blacking.
—Rivka Galchen, The New Yorker, 25 May 2020
Potassium hydroxide, on the other hand, produces an easily soluble soft soap.
—C. Claiborne Ray, New York Times, 6 Apr. 2018
Verb
Speaking to a packed house, the pair fielded soft-soap questions of the kind that voters expect for free, but don’t sit so well with a paying public audience.
—Damon Wise, Deadline, 20 Nov. 2025
President Donald Trump must stop begging and soft-soaping Vladimir Putin and use our military might to force him to give up his designs upon Ukraine and its neighbors.
—Chicago Tribune, 19 May 2025
So do her successes in soft-soaping some recalcitrant senators into supporting the mission’s funding.
—Richard Brody, The New Yorker, 11 July 2024
Noun
Practical self-care items such as thick lotions, face masks and soft soaps that don’t irritate skin.
Pragmatic.
—Ellen T. Meiser, The Conversation, 5 Dec. 2025
People should wash any skin that comes into contact with the slurry with water and soft soap, before using a hand cream to avoid dryness and cracking.
—Lauren Penington, The Denver Post, 2 Sep. 2024
Most of the questions aimed at the ironic American director of Raging Bull, Taxi Driver and Goodfellas were less softballs than soft soap, with reporters as interested in Scorsese’s favorite food — his mother’s lasagna recipe — as the movies in his peerless filmography.
—Scott Roxborough, The Hollywood Reporter, 20 Feb. 2024
Founder and creative director Joy Cho’s lifestyle brand offers whimsical products, spanning bandages to soft soap, as well as regular editorial content online.
—Los Angeles Times, 31 Mar. 2021
For spills or stains, spot cleaning with soft soap like Zero or Woolite.
—Rachel Klein, Forbes, 3 Mar. 2021
Later, barber is seen crouching on his bed, holding lighted match under jam jar of water, soft soap and boot blacking.
—Rivka Galchen, The New Yorker, 25 May 2020
Potassium hydroxide, on the other hand, produces an easily soluble soft soap.
—C. Claiborne Ray, New York Times, 6 Apr. 2018
Recent Examples of Synonyms for soft-soap
Verb
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Emery had been incessant in wanting shorter, faster balls from his deeper players, with Villa’s best opportunity of the afternoon stemming from brave passing in combination in the first half, coaxing Fulham onto them before John McGinn whipped a ball into the space behind.—
Jacob Tanswell,
New York Times,
26 Apr. 2026
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The truest equivalency for this, around here, was Dave Checketts hiring Pat Riley, coaxing him out of retirement and bringing him to New York to coach the Knicks.—
Mike Lupica,
New York Daily News,
25 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Her voice, languid and honeyed, can glide over sensual R&B, bouncing reggaetón, shimmering pop or nostalgic jazz.—
Isabela Raygoza,
Billboard,
16 Oct. 2025
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Those harmonies — simultaneously honeyed and gravelly, providing just enough support without overshadowing, yet so powerful and full of potential — echoes Whitten.—
Angie Martoccio,
Rolling Stone,
2 July 2024
Noun
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Everything is coated in a garlic butter salt that masks the mediocrity of the nuts.—
Alex Beggs,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
25 Apr. 2026
-
Mornings start at the barn-style main restaurant, where the tight breakfast menu includes mushroom noodles, yak yogurt granola, and coddled eggs with cordyceps (a local edible fungi) alongside a small buffet spread of fresh bread, yak butter, jam, and tsampa (buckwheat flour) for porridge.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
25 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Not every type of kale needs massaging.—
Zoe Denenberg,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
23 Apr. 2026
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Another potential treatment route the study opens up is using machines to massage cancer cells, imitating the rhythmic beating of the heart.—
Anil Oza,
STAT,
23 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Watch an encounter full of sweet talk, gaslighting and tension here.—
Georg Szalai,
HollywoodReporter,
14 Feb. 2026
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Don’t fall for compliments that don’t feel genuine, and don’t be afraid to confront whatever’s beneath someone’s sweet talk.—
Valerie Mesa,
PEOPLE,
23 Sep. 2025
Verb
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The city did not take the court up on that suggestion and should be commended for adhering to its transparency policies in a case that reflects so poorly on the Chicago Police Department.—
Jamie Kalven,
Chicago Tribune,
29 Apr. 2026
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While the president commended Secret Service actions, the event still raised questions about presidential protection and security around major events like America 250.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
27 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Onyemata was one of the free-agent signings the Jets got the most praise for — a rock-solid veteran defensive tackle who can help in both the run and pass game.—
Zack Rosenblatt,
New York Times,
27 Apr. 2026
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Snitker received further praise when he was shown on the jumbotron before the bottom of the fourth inning.—
Gabriel Burns,
AJC.com,
26 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The result is sometimes overpraising, overprotection, and overindulging children, mixing emotional intensity with economic privilege in ways that breed entitlement.—
Christine Michel Carter,
Forbes.com,
8 Aug. 2025
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Know-nothings pretend that Schrader’s Bressonian mannerisms reveal the spiritual depths of contemporary crisis, when, in fact, Master Gardener repeats the same social-collapse paranoia that made secular reviewers overpraise the religious, racial, suicide-bomber topics of First Reformed.—
Armond White,
National Review,
24 May 2023
Cite this Entry
“Soft-soap.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/soft-soap. Accessed 30 Apr. 2026.
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